


Lara Kent: Girl of Steel

by Fluffandsmutt, Reglissh, Shrugging_Girl



Series: Earth 1011 - A More Wholesome DCU [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Superman - All Media Types, Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Acceptance, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Batfamily (DCU), Ballet, Bisexual Donna Troy, Characters Watching Disney Movies, Co-Written, Coming Out, DC Heroes say Trans Rights, Dress Up, Dresses, Dysphoria, Eventual Fluff, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, French Characters, Gay Damian Wayne, Gen, Genderfluid Tim Drake, Lesbian Cassandra Cain, Lesbian Kara Zor-El, Magic, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Multi, Non-Binary Harper Row, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paris (City), Pets, Self-Discovery, Superfamily (DCU), Superhero Debut, Superheroes, Trans Female Character, Trans Female Jon Kent, Trans Male Character, Trans Male Colin Wilkes, Transitioning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:53:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 76,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23463511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffandsmutt/pseuds/Fluffandsmutt, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reglissh/pseuds/Reglissh, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shrugging_Girl/pseuds/Shrugging_Girl
Summary: The youngest child of the Kent family was a strange kid, for numerous reasons. For one thing, they were half-Kryptonian with developing superpowers. For another, they had Superman for a father. But the reason that the Man of Steel's youngest child felt strange wasn’t their unusual friends, educational circumstances, growing super strength or their family’s odd fashion choices. No, it was something deeper… Something personal, that the child was about to discover soon...
Relationships: Artemis Crock/Koriand'r, Artemis Crock/Wally West, Cassandra Cain & Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain/Harper Row, Clark Kent & Jonathan Samuel Kent, Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Colin Wilkes & Harleen Quinzel & Pamela Isley, Damian Wayne/Colin Wilkes, Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Dick Grayson/Wally West, Donna Troy/Kara Zor-El, Jonathan "Pa" Kent/Martha Kent, Jonathan Kent & Colin Wilkes, Jonathan Kent & Damian Wayne & Colin Wilkes, Jonathan Kent & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Jonathan Samuel Kent & Damian Wayne, Jonathan Samuel Kent & Lois Lane, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel, Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent
Series: Earth 1011 - A More Wholesome DCU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1991911
Comments: 60
Kudos: 80





	1. A Dance of Self-Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> *Habibi - Arabic word meaning “my love”, “my darling,” or “beloved.”
> 
> COVER ART BY THE INCREDIBLE MARZENNYA!  
> Here's the link! - https://marzennya.tumblr.com/post/611847699064635392/a-cute-commission-for-shrugsstuff-supes-and-his

Jonathan Samuel Kent was a strange boy for numerous reasons. For one thing, he was half-Kryptonian with developing superpowers. For another, his dad and all his aunts and uncles had two names, and two ways the world saw them; sometimes dad was Clark Kent, sometimes he was Superman.

Ignoring all of that, Jon could tell that his peers at school saw him as an odd little nerd. He had long and untidy hair, he wore braces and was the only kid at school to not come from a wealthy family. His Uncle Bruce had got him a place there so that he could be closer to his best friend and superhero trainer, Damian Wayne.

But the reason little Jon Kent thought of himself as strange wasn’t his unusual friends, educational circumstances, growing super strength or his family’s odd fashion choices. No, it was something deeper… something wrong that his young mind couldn’t put a finger on just yet.

He tried to explain it to Damian, during one of their weekly training sessions in the Batcave.

“Damian!” Jon cried out, dodge rolling out of the path of an incoming shuriken, “Could we stop the training for two minutesth!” (His braces gave him a slight lisp when he was nervous or excited).

“Not on your life, Kent.” The small smug boy said, preparing more projectiles, “You can’t choose when an enemy might attack! You must always think on your feet! Be prepared for anything!” Damian Wayne, the newest Robin, had been tasked to train the young child of Krypton and took the job seriously, like most things in life. He quickly threw four more blades in a low and tight formation. Jon would have to think fast and jump over them to avoid the collision.

With his mind occupied however, Jon wasn’t nearly fast enough. He cried out and covered his face, bracing for an impact… and felt hard rubber hit him in the chest and bounce off. It still hit with enough force to sting but he was surprised to not be bleeding. “I… what?” He looked at the other three missiles that had harmlessly hit and bounced off the wall to his back. He picked one up and tested the soft edge, “They’re not real?”

“Of course they’re not real!” Damian sounded offended, rushing over to help his friend off the ground, “You don’t have your invulnerability yet! Did you really think I would throw knives at my friend if I thought I’d hurt you? Tt!” He tutted, disapprovingly (it being his catchphrase).

Jon sighed, feeling a little sheepish, as he pushed his long black bangs out of his eyes, “Considering your trust fall exercise last week, I can never be sure.”

“I said I was sorry! Baba distracted me right as you fell.” said Damian (his use of the word “Baba” in place of “Dad”, highlighting his slight Arabic accent). “Besides it wasn’t a total waste. You did fly a bit on the way down…”

“All the same… could we do a less intense training today, Damian? I have a lot on my mind.” Jon said, sitting down with his back to the wall.

“Is everything ok, Jon?” Damian asked, squatting down to his friend’s level, though being short for his age (slightly shorter than Jon who was 3 years younger than him.) , he didn’t need to squat very far.

“Yes… no… maybe?” Jon let out a sigh “Something just doesn’t… feel right… I haven’t been feeling good… I can’t explain it.”

Damian took a stab at an explanation with so little information to go on, “Maybe your freeze breath is starting to kick in? I bet that would make you feel strange inside.”

“Not like that Damian… Something deeper…” his hands clutched at his forearms.

Damian thought for a moment. He had no advice for his friend on something like this… but he still might know a way to help, or at least get Jon’s mind off his problems. “You… said you wanted a different kind of training, right? How’d you like to fight how I do? Fast, fluid and agile?”

Jon sat up and smiled “Actually yeah… Yeah that would be a big help. Then our sparring matches won’t be so one sided.” He stood up, getting some energy back, “So you’re going to teach me martial arts?”

The young Wayne smiled, taking out his phone and sending a quick text, “Not exactly.” He put his phone away and gestured for his friend to follow him out of the training room. He was led up and out of the deep cavern where Uncle Bruce kept his most dangerous toys and up into the manor. Jon always loved using the secret door in the old library clock. They walked past Damian’s brother Tim reading in an armchair and Jon waved happily.

Jon loved the huge Wayne family. So many brothers and sisters! Not to mention a dad, two moms and Mr. Alfred! Sure, Jon had Mom, Dad, Kara and Conner, but they didn’t all live together.

They continued walking into the main hall of the mansion and entered a small side door Jon hadn’t noticed before, leading into, not a gym or a dojo, but a dance studio.

At the center of the room, a tall slender girl with long dark hair, clad in a pretty pink tutu, was twirling and leaping with perfect grace. No music played with the dance, but it didn’t need it. This girl's movement spoke on its own.

Jon couldn’t quite explain why, but seeing the girl’s beautiful camisole and tutu, both pretty pink, gave him a sense of… longing. As if the outfit was calling out to him.

Damian smiled and gestured for Jon to stay quiet. He would never interrupt his sister Cassandra in her rehearsal, for he knew what the dancing meant to her.

When she finished her dance with a final bow and a flourish of her hands, Damian and Jon both began to applaud. Cassandra finally turned to the boys and gave a little curtsey, laughing to herself. “Thank you.” She said simply, and a little quiet for someone that had just moved with so much passion.

“Amazing as always, Cass.” Damian was beaming and turned to his friend as if telling a secret, “Cassandra is the best dancer I’ve ever seen. She taught me everything I know!”

Cassandra smiled at her little brother. “Damian’s a good student. Better than Dick. He just liked the outfits.” She turned to look at Jon. “You want to dance?”

Uuhhh?” Jon asked, feeling an odd spike of excitement inside him. He’d never been interested in ballet before, but it suddenly seemed like such a fun idea. “I thought you were teaching me to fight.”

“And this will do tons to help!” Damian insisted, a gleam in his eyes. “Foot work, flexibility, core strength, leg muscles, acrobatics! Ballet is amazing for training! Tell him Cass!”

“It’s true,” she said. She had a certain look about her that made her seem remarkably clever, even when saying so little. When she spoke, Jon could tell it was wise to listen.

“Tt, Told you.” said Damian, feeling Cassandra had more than helped win his argument. “Of course, since you are a beginner, I’ll be giving you your first lessons. You can work with Cass when you’ve got the basics.”

Jon was about to ask another question when the door behind them opened again. Standing there was a tall boy about Damian’s age with baggy clothes and red hair. “Hey hun! Got your message” said the boy.

“Colin!” said Damian, happily. As if infected with a need to dance, Damian executed a graceful leap at the red head. This was clearly a normal thing for the boys to do because Colin quickly got in a perfect pose and caught the smaller boy, spinning him around over his head, before pulling him down to kiss him all over.

Jon found himself blushing a fair bit, and Cassandra smiled “So extra.” She made her way to the exit, leaving the kids to themselves. “Damian. Don’t forget. Book time tonight.”

The door closed behind Cassandra as she left, and Jon was left with Damian and Colin who broke apart after a few seconds when they realised that the younger boy was staring.

"Ahem!" Damian cleared his throat as Colin set him back down on the ground, slightly flustered. "Introductions are in order. Jon Kent, I'd like you to meet Colin Wilkes." The redhead, blushing slightly, extended a hand for Jon to shake.

"Uh, hi!" Jon said, as he took the older boy's hand, "You must be…?"

"Dami's awesome boyfriend? Yep! I'd be surprised if Dami hasn't mentioned me before." Colin stated as he grinned at Damian, who smiled back warmly. “You must’ve heard of me!” laughed Colin, “Tall, handsome, trans guy? Great hugger? Ringing any bells?”

Jon looked perplexed. Damian noticed and turned to Colin. "I think you might need to clarify, beloved!" He chuckled, gazing up at his noticeably taller boyfriend, "I'm not sure if Jon knows what "trans" means."

“Oh.... Oh! hmm…” Colin said as he thought of the best way to explain this to Jon. “Well, it means that when I was born, people thought I was a girl. As I got older, I realized I was a boy.”

Jon was speechless. His jaw dropped open as his brain tried to process this information. “You can do that?” He spoke in an awed voice, like he had just been shown the inner workings of a great magic.

“Yep.” Colin said simply. Damian was laughing a bit at his friend’s comical reaction, but Colin only smiled softly, almost nostalgically, like he was familiar with the feeling Jon was displaying. “It works the other way too. Some people are born boys and later realize they’re girls.”

It wasn’t a feeling as sudden as flipping a switch, but this new information started to get wheels turning in Jon’s head. The unrecognizable feeling inside him was starting to grow clearer…

Damian snapped his fingers to get the boys’ attention, “Jon! Habibi! I’m sorry to interrupt, but I only have about an hour to train before I help Cassandra with her reading lessons.

“Reading lesson?” Jon repeated.

“That’s right.” said Damian. “My sister had a troubled childhood, to put it lightly. She still sometimes struggles with communication and language, so I’ve been giving her reading lessons. In return, she teaches me ballet. It’s a mutually-beneficial exchange. Shall we continue?”

“Yeah… yeah sure.” Jon followed his friend, though he clearly had more questions.

“We can talk later." Said Colin. "I apologize for Dami. He’s very enthusiastic about ballet. You should have seen what happened at the Gotham Youth Dance School last year.” Colin smiled at the memory, walking with the short boys into the changing room, lined with tutus on one side and men’s tights on the other.

“Oh? What happened?” Jon asked. If he was honest, he didn’t really care, but talking would keep him from staring at the pretty tutus for too long.

“Well he joined the group because his dad wanted him to socialize with more kids his own age… to put it plainly, it was a rough start.”

“It was a travesty!” Damian called, joining the conversation from his position, picking out dance shoes of the right sizes for the three of them. “They were trying to do Swan Lake with no black swan or death scene! And not just that but they dumbed down the moves so much! They were treating us like children!”

“We are “children”, Dami.” Replied Colin.  
“That’s no excuse!" Exclaimed Damian, as he handed out ballet shoes. "I demanded to be taken seriously as an artist!”  
“By screaming, "That’s not how Swan Lake works!", in the director's face?” Colin asked dryly.  
“And demanded a chance to prove myself!” Continued Damian, ignoring his boyfriend.  
“Hun, you stole the lead girl’s costume and performed the entire act by yourself.”  
“And I was perfect!”  
Colin couldn’t help but laugh at this, “Yes you were Dami. I can’t disagree with that.”

“What happened then?” Jon asked, now genuinely interested in the drama.

Damian shrugged, “Oh what you’d expect. I was given the lead female role, several angry philistine stage mothers made their daughters quit rather than have a boy outshine them, and my dear Colin helped me give an amazing performance!” Damian and smiled up at Colin, who blushed slightly. “I didn’t end up making the new friends Baba wanted me to, but it was still good times!”

They all laughed at this, but Jon couldn’t help but focus on one detail, “So… you wore a girl’s outfit for the performance?”

“Of course!" Said Damian. "Baba, Richard, Drake, even Todd and I have all worn femenine clothes before. Be it for undercover missions, costume parties or just for fun.”

Damian gestured to the many skirts, dresses and tutus in his size. “I sometimes wear these when dancing if I feel like it.” He remarked “Personally, I don’t think any clothes should belong to only one gender.”

“Really…?” Jon’s gaze went back to the tutus and the skirts. It was clear he wanted to ask something but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Colin recognized the look and smiled, “Do you wanna try dancing in a tutu, Jon?”

“I… well… if it’s ok…” Jon couldn’t help but blush as he stuttered out his response.

“Of course it’s ok Jon! No judgment here.” Damian led his friend over to the girls side. Getting an idea, Damian grabbed a black dress for himself to dance in. With face bright red and hands shaking, Jon reached out and chose a soft pink outfit with silk leggings.

“A very cute choice.” Colin said, watching Jon, while choosing a red men’s outfit for himself. He wasn’t surprised to watch Jon smile and give a small shudder of joy. For some reason the first few affirmations always give you a pleasant tingle through your body. “With hair your length you might want to put it up in a bun.”

“Good idea!” Damian agreed, still completely oblivious to anything going on. “Don’t want it getting in the way. Would you please help him, beloved, while I get changed?” The tiny boy was already off to the changing room.

“Dami might be a little clueless for a genius, but I think I know what you are going through.” Colin said, grabbing a pink ribbon from a basket.

“I… I think you might be right…” Jon said, taking a deep breath. “What you said before… it explained a lot of feelings I’ve been having.”

Gently, the large red head grabbed and shaped the long black hair and tied it up in a small tight top knot. “We can talk all you want after this. But for now, I recommend just enjoying this moment. It’ll mean a lot to you.” He put a comforting hand on Jon’s shoulder and went to change into his own outfit, leaving Jon to do his own.

A few minutes later and Colin was the first one out. “Jon?” He called through the curtain “You ok in there?” After a moment, he poked his head in and found the young Kent looking at himself in the mirror with tears of joy in his eyes.

The outfit suited Jon perfectly. He (or rather, she) looked like a pretty ballerina one would see in a music box. Colin recognized the look in Jon's eyes. It was a look of euphoria.

Suddenly, Jon looked up and noticed Colin. She (for that was how, she now saw herself) wiped her eyes and smiled at the tall boy.

"Do you need a moment?" asked Colin.

“No, I… I just didn’t know I could feel so pretty!” Jon wiped more tears from the corners of her eyes.

“You look really pretty, Jon.” Colin said, smiling with brotherly pride at the pure joy on the young girl’s face. There was no doubt to either of them that was the solution to Jon’s problem. She didn’t feel right because she knew, she had never been a boy.

Jon beamed back at Colin and threw her arms around him, pulling him into a warm hug. Colin smiled and softley patted the young girl’s head. This almost caused the tears of joy to start again.

“ARE YOU TWO NEARLY READY?” came Damian’s voice from the studio. Colin and Jon grinned sheepishly at each other. “You ready?” Colin asked. “No idea!” giggled Jon. Colin offered Jon a hand. “Shall we?” He grinned. “Thank you!” Squeaked Jon as she blushed. They began to make their way out into the studio.

Jon remembered what Cass had said about Damian being “extra”. She could definitely see what she had meant. He was not only wearing the black dress, but tights, long gloves, a ruby-encrusted tiara and perfect make up. “Oh wow…” Colin breathed out, cheeks flushing, “Beautiful as always, Dami!”

Jon was starting in disbelief “How did you do all that by yourself so quick!?”

“Years of practice!” He said proudly, striking a pose.

"Seeing how you're wearing a girl's outfit, I decided that you'd want to dance like one too" Damian remarked as he began stretching his arms and legs as some kind of warm up, encouraging Jon and Colin to do the same. "So it makes sense for me to also wear a girl's outfit as well, so you can see how a professional ballerina would dance."

Damian began examining Jon's appearance. “I must say, you do look very pretty Jon. Of course, no one is allowed to be prettier than me.” Colin laughed at this but Jon wasn’t entirely sure he was joking. “Enough stalling now boys! Ready to begin?”

Jon felt her spirits dip a little to be called a boy; more proof that she had never been one. “I’ll do my best….”

________________________________________________________________

The lesson finally began. Simple moves and simple music. It was much harder than Jon would have thought, and there were times her friends had to help her get out of a tough pose, and yet it was such amazing fun!

Damian was a hard teacher, but Jon was a fast learner. That being said, Jon probably would've learned faster, had she not been constantly distracted by her own appearance. When Jon discovered how amazing and pretty she felt every time she did a little twirl or skip, it became hard to focus on anything else.

"Focus, Kent!" Sighed Damian, as Jon became distracted for what felt like the millionth time. "Honestly! I would have hoped that we could do more than basic pointe technique!"

"Thorry!" Jon giggled, as her excitement made her lisp. She didn't even care that Damian was being bossy. That was his normal attitude anyway. Everything just felt so wonderful. She wanted to stay in that moment forever now that she'd finally discovered her true self.

"You look pretty." Came a voice from the back of the studio. Jon froze, when she noticed that Cassandra had returned. She was now wearing a hoodie and jeans while carrying a pile of books. Jon felt herself turning bright red.

Cass simply smiled at her, and turned to look at Damian. “Book time?” She asked. “Ah, yes!” said Damian “Jon! Colin! We can continue this lesson another time.”

Jon, who was still frozen with embarrassment from Cass’s sudden arrival, suddenly found herself being led out into the changing rooms by Colin.

“Okay, Hun!” Replied Colin. “We’ll wait up for you! Maybe after you’re finished, we can fly Jon back to Metropolis!”

“Wonderful!” smiled Damian. “I look forward to it, Habibi!”  
The two boys blew kisses at each other before Damian sat down with Cass in the corner, and Colin pulled Jon into the dressing rooms, closing the door behind them.

“Fly me back?” asked Jon “Like, in the… helicopter?” She had almost said the Bat-Wing but didn’t know if Colin was in on the family secret.

“You’ll see” smiled Colin “Let's get changed. You look really cute, but it's probably not a good idea to wander around the manor dressed like that. Not just yet anyway."

Jon looked down and sighed "Yeah. You're probably right."

She felt Colin put his arm around her. "Hey." He said "It's okay. Damian's gonna be occupied for the next half-hour. That gives us plenty of time to talk."


	2. A Newfound Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colin and Jon have an important talk about being transgender and become closer because of it.
> 
> Warning! Chapter contains dysphoria, and stories of deadnaming, misgendering, transphobia and homophobia.
> 
> It has a happy ending, though!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another beautiful commission from Marzennya! - https://marzennya.tumblr.com/post/615672512553025536/lara-kent-girl-of-steel-chapter-1

Changing back into her regular clothes made Jon feel odd. They were simple clothes that she liked (A Superman hoodie, jeans, sneakers and a baseball cap), but she only now realised how little she resembled a girl when wearing them. Colin apparently noticed this and put his hand on her shoulder.

“I think I know how you feel,” said Colin. “I grew up in an orphanage and always had to wear hand-me-downs. I’d always try to get boy clothes but sometimes, all they had were dresses and skirts.” Colin pulled a face.

Jon thought that “dresses and skirts” sounded wonderful, but then she remembered that Colin was a trans boy. “Wanna swap lives?” she asked, jokingly, before realising what she had said. “Sorry” she mumbled, “Bad joke”. 

“It’s okay.” Colin chuckled, “I’ve been told that this is a common feeling when trans guys meet trans girls. I guess we can consider this a validating moment” They both laughed.

"So!" Said Jon, "What happens next? I need to tell people, right?" She began to feel even more anxious, as she thought of everyone who saw her as a boy.

"Calm down!" Colin said, reassuringly, "Sit down and take a deep breath "

Jon sat on a nearby bench and breathed deeply. She felt a little better. Colin sat down next to her, and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

"It's okay," he said calmly. "You don't need to tell anyone until you're ready. There's no rulebook you have to follow. Every trans person's experience is different."

Jon looked up. "Really?" She asked.

"Totally!" Replied Colin. "Take me, for instance! I've known I was a boy for as long as I can remember. I hated dresses and having long hair, and never answered to my deadname."

"What's a deadname?" Asked Jon.

"It's the name I was given at birth, when people thought that I was a girl" said Colin. "Most trans folks change their name as part of their transition." He paused. "Do you want to change your name?"

Jon was taken aback by the question. Change her name? The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she had never really cared for her name. She had been named after her grandfather, who was a great person, but not someone she wanted to be named for. But what could she change it to? Joan? Jenny? Jessica? No. Too cliched.

"I…" She stammered. "I'm not sure…?"

"It's okay," said Colin. "There's no rush. Take some time to think about it. In the meantime, how about I call you "J"?”

J smiled "Thank you. I'd like that."

They hugged. Colin was starting to remind J of her big brother, Conner. Both of them were big, strong, and gave big hugs and good advice. This made J think about who she was going to tell first. Conner? Kara? Mom and Dad? Damian?! She decided it was best to take Colin’s advice and wait until she was ready.

“C’mon!” said Colin. “Let’s leave Damian and Cass to read their books. We can talk more in the Batcave.” 

“Good idea,” said J. 

As they made their way back through the manor, they passed Tim again. He had finished his book and was now texting on his phone. J wondered if he was texting her big brother, Conner.

Tim, Conner and their girlfriend, Stephanie Brown, were all senior members of the Teen Titans and had been dating each other for a few years now. The three of them sometimes came to visit the Kents in Metropolis. There were so many people in J’s life that she was starting to feel overwhelmed with the prospect of telling them all.

Eventually, J and Colin arrived at the grandfather clock that hid the entrance to the Batcave. Standing by the clock was Alfred Pennyworth, the Wayne family’s butler, cleaner, cook, chauffeur, pilot, tech-support, medic, mentor and gardener.

“Good evening, young masters.” said Alfred. “I’m sorry to say that I cannot allow you to enter the Batcave, without being accompanied by a designated individual.” The butler looked at his watch. “It’s currently 5:30pm. Master Damian and Mistress Cassandra should be finishing their session shortly. I’m sure you can wait until then”

J felt annoyed at being called “young master”, but Colin just grinned at Alfred. 

“C’mon, Alf!” said Colin, trying to sound cool. “Don’t I count as a designated individual? I’m practically a member of the Bat-Squad at this point, right?” He held out his fist, apparently hoping for Alfred to fistbump him.

“Hmph” replied Alfred. Then to J’s surprise, he returned the fistbump. “I suppose, if I were to escort you, it would be acceptable for you to enter.” He walked over to the clock, opened the face and set it to 10:48. This activated a mechanism that opened a hidden staircase to the Batcave behind the clock.

It was at this point that J had a sudden realisation and she turned to look at Colin. “Wait a minute! How does Colin know about the Batcave?!” She was fairly certain that that particular fact was supposed to be a secret among the superhero community.

Colin started laughing at the outburst and even Alfred smiled at the over reaction. “It is a pretty well guarded secret, but I’m a special case. You could even say I lived in the cave for a little while.” Colin said mischievously.

“You… lived in the cave?.... so you knew about Uncle Bruce being Batman this whole time?” J looked annoyed. “I’ve been trying to keep it a secret!?”

“MISTER WAYNE IS BATMAN!!?” Colin cried out, even louder than J had. “Oh my god! Damian just told me Batman was renting the basement! This changes everything! I must tell the world!” 

“No!” The tiny girl tried to tackle the older boy, expecting him to run off and alert the media. Unfortunately, with their size difference, it was more like J had just aggressively hugged Colin. “Damian would kill me! You can’t say anything! Please!”

Colin was laughing harder than ever, ruffling the little Kryptonian’s hair, “J! J calm down! I’m kidding, you goof! Of course I knew about Batman before! My moms used to work with him… well against him, but they’re friends now.”

J huffed and playfully punched Colin in the arm, “Don’t scare me like that!” Colin smiled “Sorry. Couldn’t resist!”

J was grumbling under her breath as they continued down the stairs to the cave. Colin was still smiling and even Alfred was chuckling, which for him was the equivalent of laughing his butt off. “You said, your moms worked against Batman?”

“Yep.” He answered simply, “Harleen Quinzel and Pamela Isly. Otherwise known as-“

“HARLEY QUINN AND POISON IVY?! Your moms are villains?!” J gasped.

"Former villains" corrected Colin. "Well okay. They may still sometimes bend the rules a little, but so do most heroes."

"But they were still villains!" Said J.

"Hey!" Said Colin, sternly. "They've changed! They're the best moms I could ask for and I won't let anyone bad-mouth them."

J looked at her feet. "I'm sorry.' She muttered.

Colin put his hand on the young girl's shoulder. "It's okay," he said. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. Maybe you can come and meet them one day. They would love you! Trust me."

As they made their way down into the Batcave, J noticed that they were taking a detour. They were heading for a small section of the cave, away from the main concourse. J was familiar with this section. It was an area that Damian’s brother, Jason, had once snarkily referred to as “The Demon’s Petting Zoo”. As they entered, J looked around.

Said zoo was really just a feeding area for Batcow (a cow that Damian had rescued from a slaughterhouse and subsequently adopted), but Damian’s other pets could also be found here. Batcow shared the space with Amirah, Damian’s prize mare, with a large service elevator leading up to the stables in the manor grounds allowing the animals to roam free when they weren’t being fed. Pennyworth the Cat could also often be found roaming this area, as cats tend to do. Finally, curled up in the corner, lay Titus the great dane, who seemed to share a unique bond with Damian’s other pets.

J paused for a moment, looking at an empty corner of the zoo. It held a basket bed large enough for several lions, a huge perch, and a saddle too big for any horse.

“Oh yeah… Goliath.” said J, as she remembered the gigantic Dragon-Bat creature that Damian used to ride upon. Come to think of it, J hadn’t seen or heard anything about Goliath for a while. “What ever happened to him?” she asked Colin

Colin paused and chuckled, “Oh he’s still around if you know where to look.” Pennyworth and Titus both came over to greet the new guests. The huge dog seemed to be very fond of Colin. “Heeey Titus! You miss me, big guy?” The dog barked loud and happily. 

Pennyworth purred and nuzzled against Colin’s leg on his way to say hello to J. Even Amirah and Batcow had turned to look at Colin and seemed happy to see him. He was clearly very popular with Damian’s pets.

Alfred cleared his throat. "Mister Wilkes" stated the butler. "I trust that I can leave you two to wait here. Master Damian should be with you shortly."

"No problem. Thanks Alfred!" Replied Colin. 

Alfred nodded, turned and left. J, Colin and the animals now had the place to themselves.

“The animals love you.” J said, scratching Pennyworth behind the ears, as Titus licked Colin's face.

“Oh yeah. They’re all sweethearts. Good friends and good listeners too. Come on, over here.” Colin gestured and led them over to Goliath’s vacated bed and plopped down on it like a sofa, “Have a seat, Miss Kent.”

Being called "Miss Kent" made J feel so happy she wouldn’t be surprised if she was flying a few inches off the ground. All the same, she hesitated to sit down, “In the dragon’s bed? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Don’t worry," chuckled Colin. "It’s clean and no one down here has fleas. Trust me! This is the most comfortable seat in the cave. Everything else down here is pretty spartan.”

“Well, alright then…” J cautiously sat across from her new friend. “Wow… this is comfy! It’s like just a giant bean bag chair!” 

“See? Told ya.” Colin chuckled as Titus and Pennyworth climbed into the huge pet bed too. “There, perfect setting. Comfortable, quiet, private and it’s got emotional support animals. Perfect spot to continue our talk.”

“Oh… Yeah I guess we do have a few more things to discuss…” J took a breath, her mind returning to the problems of coming out as a girl to friends and family. As if knowing she needed the support, Titus came over and rested his large head in the young girl’s lap.

“We don’t have to talk about anything if you don’t want to, J.” Colin said, trying to reassure her.

“No,” J sighed. “I think I need to talk about this. To know what to do next.” She looked over at Colin. “Can I ask? How did you come out to your moms?”

Colin let out a quick bark of a laugh before covering his mouth. “I’m sorry. It’s not a funny question, but the memory just makes me laugh.” He leaned back as he remembered. “There wasn’t really a “coming out” moment with them in the way you are thinking. Like I said, I always knew I was a boy, but the orphanage I lived in didn’t see it that way.” His smile faded slightly. “They always tried to get me to wear dresses and refused to call me by my name.”

“I’m sorry. That must’ve been hard.” J interjected as Colin paused.

“It was,” Colin nodded, as he continued the story. “Anyway, Dami was determined to get me out of there, and as it happened, he knew just who could help...”

“Who?” J asked.

“My moms, of course!” said Colin “They had been talking about going clean and starting a family for years, and Dami convinced his dad and friends to help them with all the complicated adoption work. They were ex-criminals, so they would’ve struggled without Mr Wayne’s help.” Colin smiled as he reminisced. “Dami told Mom and Mama all about me - minus me being trans of course - and they wanted to come and meet me straight away.”

“So they knew you were a boy, but not trans?” J was following the story with great interest.

“Yep,” said Colin. “Unfortunately, the witch who ran the orphanage was not happy about the whole situation. When my moms arrived to meet me, she was trying to force me to wear a dress and calling me by my deadname.” Colin shut his eyes as he remembered the bitter memory. 

“Fortunately, Mom - that’s Harley, just so you know - is a psychiatrist and knew a trans kid when she saw one.” Colin started grinning as he got to his favourite part of the story. “She came right over to me and asked what was wrong. I told her I was a boy and they made me dress like this. The look she shot at the witch is something I will treasure forever!” Colin was now grinning from ear-to-ear. “The witch lost her temper and started yelling at Mom and Mama, calling them sinners and saying they couldn’t adopt me ”

J was listening with eyes wide. “What happened next?”

“It turned out that Mama - that’s Ivy - was filming the whole thing on her phone,” Colin continued. “She sent the video to the press, who began pressuring the head of the charity that ran the place to make some serious changes, The head of the charity just so happened to be Bruce Wayne himself!”

“No way!” laughed J.

“Long story short,” said Colin. “I was soon adopted by the best moms in the world, the witch got fired, and Mr Wayne made sure that new owners were... more open-minded.”

“Wow…” J was quiet for a moment, “That’s quite a story. Your moms really do sound nice! I can’t wait to meet them!”

“See? Told ya so!” Colin chuckled to himself, “My moms are the best thing that’s ever happened to me… cept for Dami of course.” His cheeks turned a soft pink.

J thought for a moment and smiled, “My mom and dad are pretty great too. They’re…. reporters for the Daily Planet. I-“

Colin held up a hand to stop her “J, you don’t need to hide your family secret from me too. I know your dad is the big blue Boy Scout.”

Somehow this wasn’t as surprising as Colin knowing about Batman, but it was still a shock. “How the heck did you know that?” She gasped.

“J, you are wearing a Superman hoodie and being trained by Robin.” laughed Colin. “If I didn’t know about your dad before today, it wouldn’t be hard to figure it out.”

“Oh…” she whispered, sheepishly.

“Don’t worry, I’m good at keeping secrets” assured Colin. “It’s funny. Once you know who Batman is, it becomes really easy to figure out who all the other superheroes are. So your mom is actually a reporter and your dad is Superman posing as a reporter?”

“Oh no, he actually writes for the newspaper too. He’s a good writer, though mom is better,” J said. “She’s won awards and stuff.”

“Wait,” said Colin. “What’s your mom’s name?”

“Oh! Lois. Lois Lane.”

“No way!” laughed Colin. “I know her! She was the reporter that my Mama sent the footage to!”

“Wait, what?!” said J.

“Yeah!” smiled Colin. “Oh man! J, This is great! She wrote a whole article on how important it is to protect trans kids and make them feel accepted and valid.”

J was speechless. She never thought she could love her mom any more than she already did, but this was proof. “She… She wrote an article...on kids like us?” J made a mental note to pay more attention when her parents talked about work.

“If Lois Lane and Superman are your mom and dad”, Colin thought aloud, “then they should be really accepting!” He paused. “Though, it’s your choice if and when you want to tell them.”

J had been dwelling on this since the ballet session. Everything was moving so fast for her. She had woken up that morning assuming that she was a boy and, in the last couple of hours, her eyes had been opened to a whole new world of possibilities. She didn’t know for certain, but she was fairly sure that this was not a typical “coming out” experience.

Then again, J wasn’t a typical girl. She was the daughter of Superman and Lois Lane. She had the potential to become one of the most powerful heroes on earth. Her friends and family were all part of the superhero community. If it all went well, she’d not only have the best support, she could become an icon for trans kids everywhere.

“I... kinda wanna tell my parents.” said J, softley, after a long pause. “Like, I was thinking… tomorrow?”

Colin seemed slightly taken aback, but then, he smiled. “That’s your choice. Just remember, if you need anything, I’m here for you” He pulled J into a hug. “I’m proud of you, J.”

Suddenly, There was a loud noise as the service elevator activated and started to descend. Colin and J both stood up to see who was on it, though they had a pretty good guess.

Damian stood on the elevator. Though his back was turned, J could tell it was him. He had apparently changed into his Robin outfit as evidenced by the cape and hood he was wearing. Though, why his back was turned, J had no idea.

“Habibi? Jon?” called out Damian, ever the drama queen, “Are you ready to depart for Metropolis?”

Colin rolled his eyes. “Okay Dami,” he sighed. “You’re obviously hiding something. What is it?”

“VOILÀ!” shouted Damian as he spun around with a swish of his cape.

As it turned out, Damian had not changed into his Robin outfit. He had merely put on the cape, hood, domino mask and utility belt that were part of his costume. Underneath, he was still wearing the black ballerina outfit, including gloves, tights and make-up, from earlier. Even the tiara was just visible under his hood. He resembled a gothic version of Little Red Riding Hood, though J was sure to keep this observation to herself.

“Wow!” exclaimed Colin, his cheeks reddening. “Dami! Are you sure you want to go out like that? People might see.”

Damian laughed as he strode over to his boyfriend. “Don’t worry, Habibi. It’ll be fine. Besides, I look good in this outfit so I might as well make the most of it.” 

“Can I just ask?” interrupted J. “How exactly are you planning to take me back to Metropolis? We’re not taking the Bat-Wing, are we?”

Damian looked bemused. “Of course, we’re not taking the Bat-Wing!” he laughed, then he paused and looked at Colin. “Wait. You haven't told him yet?”

Colin smiled sheepishly at J, who just looked even more confused. "Told me what?"

"Oh Jon" said Damian with a diabolical grin. "You are in for a sur-"  
"J!" said J, before she could stop herself.  
"What?" Said Damian.

"Sorry" said J, "Colin's been calling me "J", and I kinda… prefer it?" She grinned awkwardly at the two boys. Colin gave a subtle nod of approval, whereas Damian just raised an eyebrow.

"Tt." Damian clicked his tongue. "Very well, J. You are in for a surprise, my friend." 

“Ummm, Dami?” interjected Colin. “Do you mind if I change first? I’ll need to take my shirt off, but I’m not exactly… comfortable with J seeing my…”

“Not to worry, beloved!” said Damian. “Damian al Ghul Wayne is always prepared.” He walked over to Goliath’s nest and pulled out a small duffle bag. From the bag, he produced a small black disc which he tossed to Colin. 

“It’s one of Baba’s nanosuit discs.” explained Damian. “Slip it under your shirt and press it against your chest. It will form a suit around you, under your clothes. It should allow you to transform while keeping your modesty.”

Colin smiled warmly. “I love you, you know that?” he said as he slipped the disk under his flannel shirt.  
“Of course, Habibi.” Damian nodded, smiling. “The feeling’s mutual.”

J couldn’t help but notice what Damian had just said. “Transform?” she asked, “What do you mean?” 

“Sorry, J” said Colin, as he removed his shirt and jeans, revealing that the nanosuit had formed a plain, black unitard underneath. “I thought it might be easier to show rather than explain.”

“Let’s just say that Colin has superpowers of his own” grinned Damian. “Are you ready, Colin?”

“Ready, Dami.” said Colin.

“Good luck.” said Damian. The two boys shared a quick kiss before Damian took a step back, as Colin began to transform.

J stared in shock as red fur began to slowly grow all over Colin’s body and face. His muscles bulged out and his hands and feet morphed into claws. Colin doubled over as a pair of leathery wings sprouted from his back and a draconic tail emerged from behind. 

J felt Damian’s hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry,” he said, calmly. “He’s friendly.”

J was frozen in shock and awe (and fear) as Colin began to grow, until he was the size of an elephant and his face began shifting to form an animalistic muzzle. His ears grew out over his head, his nose turned upwards to form a snout, and when he let out a beastly growl, J noticed huge razor-sharp fangs had grown in his mouth.

J stared up at the creature that, until a few minutes ago, had been Colin Wilkes. There was no doubt about it. Colin had just transformed into Goliath, the Dragon-Bat.


	3. A Flight to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FYI, This chapter is when we seriously start diverging from the canon. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments.   
> : )

J took a step forward. “C-Colin?” she stammered, as she stared up at the beast before her.

Colin (or Goliath?) gently got down on all fours, so that his face came right up to meet J. In contrast to everything else about his appearance, Goliath’s eyes still seemed to retain some humanity. They seemed to be saying “It’s okay, J. I’m still me”.

J still couldn't quite believe it, and that said a lot. How could this be? How could Colin Wilkes and Goliath be one and the same? Colin/Goliath seemed to notice J's uncertainty, and gently nuzzled her outstretched hand. 

"Magnificent, isn't he?" said Damian, coming up behind J, slightly startling her. "I imagine that you have a few questions? Don't worry, I'll be happy to answer them once we're in the air."

"In the air?" Repeated J. "You mean he's going to…?"

"Fly us back to Metropolis." Said Damian, matter-of-factly. He turned to look at Goliath. “Come on then, let’s get you ready.”

Damian strode over to the large harness and saddle hanging on the wall by the nest, and Goliath lumbered after him. They began the process of attaching them to prepare for the flight to J’s hometown.

While they did this, J sat back down on the bed and tried to comprehend what had just happened. Colin’s knowledge of the superhero community suddenly made a lot more sense. He was practically a superhero himself. A “member of the Bat-squad” as Colin had said earlier.

But that raised more questions than it answered. How did he get his powers? How exactly did they work? How many people knew his secret? These weren't the only questions on J’s mind. She was pretty sure that Damian had found Goliath years ago, before he became Robin. He had adopted Goliath as a pup which then grew into a giant dragon-bat over the years. Surley, this wasn’t the same Goliath. Was he?

J couldn’t help it. She couldn’t just accept that her new friend was also a giant mythical creature without asking a couple of questions first. She walked over to them and began helping Damian with the harness. She opened her mouth but her vocabulary seemed to escape her at that moment and all she managed to say was “....How?” while gently petting the fuzzy dragon’s head.

Damian paused in the process of tying on the saddle to consider the answer. “That’s a long story Jo-, J.” He caught himself before addressing his friend by her old name. “Colin and I were friends for a while, and we started dating just before… the Crisis.”

“Oh…” muttered J.

The Crisis of Infinite Earths, or The Crisis for short, (because it’s not like there’d ever be more than one incident as bad as that… right?) was a sensitive topic among the superhero community. A massive battle across the multiverse so important that it was now taught in schools. Millions across the universe had died, including Barry Allen AKA the Flash, who J had been close to when she was little. 

“Yeah...” Damian sighed, stroking his dragon-boyfriend’s head, before walking around him and checking the straps. “During the Crisis… I’m not sure when it happened exactly… but for a while… Colin disappeared from our universe… Completely. I’d lost him… and I couldn’t even remember him…” Damian wiped a tear from his eyes, glad the domino mask would stop any running makeup. 

“Eventually, the crisis was over” continued Damian. “As the universe corrected itself, Colin tried to come back… But, by some strange twist of fate…. I’m assuming some cosmic wires must have been crossed, he came back… as Goliath.”

“But, I thought that you adopted Goliath before you became Robin?” said J. “How can they be the same?”

“Of course, before the crisis, Colin and Goliath were separate entities.” explained Damian. “The crisis merged them into one being. Again, I didn’t realize it for a long time… Some things began to jog my memory though… I never knew what exactly, but when I started to remember Colin, Goliath started acting different.”

Colin/Goliath was practically purring and nuzzled against his tiny boyfriend. “Much more affectionate for one thing.” Damian said with a chuckle.

J carried on listening to Damian, who was clearly enjoying the shocked look of enthrallment on her face. “Eventually,” continued Damian, “After about a week of my memory growing sharper and Goliath acting warmer and happier, Colin finally figured out how to control his powers and was able to shift back into human form. I finally had my Habibi back.” He kissed the top of the dragon-bat’s head. “Plus, now I have a boyfriend who can transform into a giant winged beast at will! How cool is that?” 

J still couldn’t completely follow the story. “How the heck did he figure out that he could transform like that?”

Damian smirked. “Even before the crisis, Colin had superpowers of his own. Only back then, he merely transformed into a larger, stronger version of his human form.” He gently stroked Goliath's red fur. “If anything, the universe gave him an upgrade.”

J blinked in stunned silence at the two of them. Gradually, things began to make sense, albeit in a way that only someone who lived among superheroes could comprehend. “Soooo…. He’s Goliath… and Colin...? She asked slowly. She smirked at Damian. “Did you wish really hard?”

Goliath let out a grunting noise which might have been laughter. Damian scowled at the two of them. “Oh, Shut-up! The pair of you!” he snapped, though J was sure that she saw him grin slightly, as he made the final adjustments to the harness. “Are you ready to leave?” he asked.

“Uhh… sure.” said J. She had to admit, it was weird climbing onto the back of a creature that she knew was also the boy who she had just been speaking with. But Colin didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he seemed excited to finally have a chance to stretch his wings.

Damian picked up the clothes that Colin had been wearing and put them into the duffle bag, which he then strapped to the harness. He then clambered onto the front of the saddle, as Goliath made his way onto the service elevator. Damian pressed a button on his utility belt and the elevator rose up.

A moment later, they emerged into a cave in the side of the cliffs below Wayne Manor. Goliath made his way to the mouth of the cave and spread his wings. “Ready, Goliath?” asked Damian. The dragon-bat grunted. “Then away we go! Hold on tight, J!” Damian shouted over his shoulder. With no more warning than that, they took off, out of the cave and into the darkening sky.

It wasn’t the first time J had flown. Her dad had taken her up into the sky many times and she always loved it. She also knew that her developing powers would mean that one day, she would be able to fly herself. In short, she loved flying.

Flying on a dragon-bat, however, was making her seriously begin to question that love. She clung for dear life to the saddle as they lurched into the evening sky. Each beat of Goliath’s wings threatened to throw her straight off.

“Calm down, J” said Damian. “We’ll level out once we gain some altitude.” J was grateful for her super-hearing, or else she would probably not have heard Damian.

Sure enough, as they reached a higher altitude (J estimated around 1500 feet), Goliath eased into a gentle glide and J was able to sit back comfortably in the saddle. In the distance, J could already see the lights of Metropolis. Now that she could relax, J found the flight to be rather peaceful, as she gazed up at the evening sky.

Damian turned to look at J. “We should arrive in just under 20 minutes,” he said, shuffling over to sit next to J. “In the meantime, Do you have any more questions about Goliath?”

J couldn’t help but laugh at how casually Damian had asked that, “Not at the moment Damian. I think all my questions got shook off on the way up here! That take off was a bit rough compared to what I’m used to!”

The beast gave a growl that made Damian smirk, “I think he’s trying to say you don’t get to criticize his flying until you know how.”

J smiled at that, petting a hand in the huge beast’s fur, “Well that answers one question. He can’t talk in this form.”

“Correct.” Damian nodded, “Colin is still Colin in all this bulk, but he is much more driven by emotion and instinct like this. When he merged with Goliath, their minds became one as well. Colin’s mind hasn’t overridden Goliath’s. They’ve simply merged together! Their memories, experiences and emotions are one and the same and, when in this form, Goliath’s instinct becomes stronger. Does that make sense?” 

J could barely keep up with all this new information, but she nodded, which seemed to satisfy Damian.

A thought occurred to J, as she tried to think of a change of subject. “Colin told me about his moms. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy” she said. “Do they know about this?”

Damian raised an eyebrow, then smiled. “So that’s what you were talking about in the cave. Yes, they know.” He looked down at Goliath and stroked his fur. “When Colin came back, I wanted to get him away from that terrible orphanage as quickly as possible. Especially from the worthless excuse of a nun who ran the place.”

J nodded, “He told me about a lot of her. Calling him a girl, insulting his moms… glad your dad gave her the boot.”

Damian chuckled dryly, “With the kind of luck Baba has with people who hate him, I would not be surprised if that old crow that got fired comes back as a super villain. The Mother Superior or something like that.”

J laughed a little, though she knew enough about their bizzare lives to know that was actually very possible. She considered for a moment if she should say something about being a girl to Damian after all. They wouldn’t be alone like this again for a few days… 

“Anyway” continued Damian, “I’d previously heard from Baba and Oracle that Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy had reformed and were looking to settle down and adopt a child. I saw this as an opportunity for Colin, so I told them about him.”

J nodded. “I guess now that they're Colin’s moms, they’re more okay with him being… well like this!” She gestured to Goliath. Something then occurred to her. “Wait! If they know that Colin is Goliath, and that he’s dating you, have they figured out….?

“That I’m Robin and Baba is Batman?” finished Damian, “Yes. We believe that they already suspected us, but adopting Colin was what confirmed it. Obviously, two former supervillains knowing our secret would have been a major cause for concern a few years ago, but there is plenty of evidence that they truly have reformed. Baba trusts them and so do I.”

Below them, Goliath grunted. “Of course, beloved” replied Damian “You trust them as well, and frankly, that’s all that really matters.”

“Trust… Yeah. Trust in a person is the most important thing…” she paused in thought, “Damian… Can I tell you thomething important?” lisping as she nervously spoke.

Suddenly, Goliath tensed underneath them and Damian noticed “Hold on J. What’s wrong Habibi? Something coming?” The dragon growled looking towards an oncoming blue and red blur. 

“Dad…” J sighed, knowing Superman would meet them in a matter of seconds. “Sorry, Damian, I’ll need to tell you about this later.”

Before Damian could even try to respond, the Man of Steel had approached them and was flying alongside the dragon and the two young passengers, “Oh! It’s you two!” he laughed. “I thought Bizaro had got himself a new pet or something. I….” it seemed he only now realized that Damian was still wearing his black ballerina’s outfit. “Uuhhh... is that a new uniform, Robin?”

Damian gave a small shrug, “I don’t think I’ll make this a normal thing. I just thought I looked good and decided to wear it a little longer.”

“I see.” said Superman.

J and Colin could read his face like a book. He was clearly thinking how weird people in Gotham were and was trying to quickly think of a change of subject. “I… I like your ride”, he said suddenly. “A proud and powerful beast.” He patted Goliath on the head, who then growled back at him.

Calling Goliath a beast seemed to annoy Damian more than any potential judgement of his outfit, “Superman! Please do not address my Habibi like that, and do not touch him with his permission.”

“Your ha-?… nevermind…” he derailed the question, looking even more confused but deciding to leave it alone. “Do you boys wanna touch down somewhere? We’re not too far from the Metro-Narrows Bridge. If we stop on one of the towers, I can take Jon home from there.”

J had been expecting him to say her deadname, and had tried to brace herself for it, but it still did nothing to make her feel less uncomfortable. She knew that her dad loved her and would never knowingly say anything to hurt her. But hearing him misgender her made J realise the challenge that lay before her. All of her family and friends had always known her as a boy. How on Earth was she supposed to tell him that she was actually a girl?

“Makes sense” said Damian “Not sure how people in Metropolis will react to seeing a dragon-bat descend from on high.” He turned to the young Kent, “J, what do you think? If we drop you off at the bridge, are you ok to head home with Superman?”

“Uh yeah, sure” replied J, not really listening.

They made their way to the Metro-Narrows Bridge that connected Gotham and Metropolis via Delaware Bay. The bridge was about three miles long and held up by three suspension towers. The tallest of the three towers stood right at the halfway point between Gotham and Metropolis and occasionally served as a rendezvous point for heroes of the two cities. Goliath landed with a thud on top of the tower and Damian and J disembarked as Superman landed gently beside them.

“I’ll be right there dad. Just one quick thing.” J called once getting out of the saddle. 

Once both kids were off his back, Goliath began to transform back to his normal self. His fur receded, revealing the nanosuit underneath, as his wings and tail shrunk back into his body. His face shifted back to that of a boy as he flexed his jaw muscles. As he shrunk down to normal size, the nanosuit stayed in place, maintaining his modesty and the saddle and straps fell loose around him. “Aahhh” groaned Colin as he stretched, “Always feels weird doing that!”

Superman stared in disbelief. “Wait, what!” He turned to J and Damian. “It’s a- I mean... He’s just a kid?!”

Damian rolled his eyes. “His name is Colin!” he declared, walking over to Colin and putting an arm around his boyfriend. “He is my beloved, and a proud hero of Gotham City!” 

Colin blushed and smiled awkwardly at Superman. “Uh, hi.” he said sheepishly “Nice to meet you, Mr… uuumm… Superman.”

Superman’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Colin and then down the bridge towards Gotham. “Why doesn’t Batman tell me these things?” he muttered under his breath.

“Uncle Bruce likes his secrets.” laughed J, enjoying her dad’s reaction. “I’m just gonna say goodbye then we can head home.”

J walked over to Colin. “Thank you for the talk earlier.” She hugged him tightly, taking him by surprise. “You were such a big help!” she whispered.

The older boy smiled and hugged back, “Any time, J.” he whispered back. Colin looked over his new friend's shoulder and saw Clark and Damian exchange a brief silent look. The two were finally on the same page of confusion and seemed to be simultaneously asking each other “Any idea what they’re going on about?”

J almost seemed to sense their reaction even from behind and broke the hug short. She walked over to Damian and gave him an awkward goodbye hug as well, to try and make her previous action less suspicious. It didn’t seem to work. If anything, Damian just looked more surprised and confused “I’ll see you soon, Damian.” She grinned nervously.

“Yeah… Yeah I’ll see you soon, J.” Damian said, patting her awkwardly on the back, though still a bit confused. They broke apart and J went over to her dad.

“So, you go by J now?” Clark asked, giving his “son” a hug too, feeling he should get in on this.

“Yeah… Just a nickname I feel I like better, for now.” Clark chuckled and picked her up and helped her onto his back. “Works for me. Conner wanted to be called Big C for a while. I like yours better. Hold on tight J.” He waved at the two teenagers as father and child took off into the night.

Once they were a good ways off, Damian turned to Colin, “Colin, what was J talking about?”

Colin shrugged, “Sorry hun. Not my secret to tell. I’m sure they’ll fill you in when they’re ready.” Colin couldn’t help but feel a little deceptive playing the pronoun game like this, but he would keep his silence until J told him otherwise.

Damian was actually pouting and grumbled to himself, “Tt! I’m supposed to be his best friend! Why did he tell you before me?” Hoping to avoid being interrogated by his cute genius boyfriend, Colin began to turn back into Goliath to better hold his silence.


	4. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> J Chooses her name just in time for the most tense family dinner in her life!
> 
> Warning: This chapter features moments of dysphoria and unintentional deadnaming and misgendering.

The flight home to the Metropolis apartment was quiet and uneventful, and dinner with mom and dad was as normal as ever, though J might have talked a little less than she normally would. She mainly listened to her dad’s stories of a short fight with Icicle Jr. and her mom’s stories of an interview she was preparing for.

Though she listened, J’s mind was occupied with plans for the next day. How and when would she tell her parents? How would they take the news? What would she change her name to?... 

Change her name… It was then she remembered another tricky detail of this plan: Her big brother, Conner. On the day that J was supposed to become the new Superboy, Conner had made plans to upgrade his codename from “Superboy” to something else. If J became Supergirl instead, Conner might not need to change his name… Would he be mad with her? Still that would be a matter for later. Right now she only had to think about her parents and how they would take the news.

“Jon? You ok sweetie?” Her mother, Lois got her attention, “I’ve been asking if you wanted some cookies for dessert but you took so long I think your dad’s eating them all.”

She smiled, being called “sweetie” dulling the sting of the name she no longer identified with, “Yeah mom. Sorry, I just have a lot on my…” she stopped, seeing that dad had actually left the table and she could hear him in the kitchen. “Dad no!” She jumped up from her seat and ran to see her dad with a huge homemade chocolate chip cookie halfway to his mouth. “That’th the latht of grandma’th cookieth! Mom thaid you had to thhare!” She lisped out hard, trying to get the words out before it was too late.

“Sorry slugger, you should have moved faster!” He said, bringing the cookie teasingly closer to his mouth before laughing and handing it to her. “I’m just kidding. You can have this one, mom and I will have the Oreos.”

“Thanks dad!” She happily took the cookie and took a big bite, however she savored it and chewed it slowly. “I’ve gotta enjoy this. No new cookies till our next visit.”

“Well you’re in luck J.” Clark said, getting the Oreos out of a cabinet on top of the fridge, “Remember we have family dinner with them tomorrow.”

J almost dropped her prized dessert at this reminder “Dinner with Grandma and Grandpa ith thith week?!”

“Yep!” Clark said, mistaking her shock for enthusiasm. “Conner and Kara are coming as well. The whole family probably means cookies and pie after dinner.”

“Yeah… yeah that’th great, dad…” J wasn’t really listening at that point. Forgetting that one detail had already ruined her plans for tomorrow. She had to decide quickly. Would she tell them tonight before bed, or should she wait another day and risk an awkward and painful night with people she cared for? She nibbled her cookie as she tried to think.

To a young mind deep in thought, time flows very quickly. J barely paid any attention to the Avengers cartoon she watched every night, and went off to bed when mom told her too without any complaint or struggle. The day was over and she couldn’t bring herself to have the talk. Not just yet.

Though not as fully developed as the rest of her Kryptonian family, J’s hearing was still very powerful, and she could hear her parents talking in the living room as she got ready for bed. “Clark, did anything happen today? Jon seemed very distracted tonight.”

J heard her father respond, “Nothing that I know about. I met Damian’s boyfriend today. He’s also a dragon. That took me a moment to come to terms with. Maybe he’s just thinking about that? I still keep thinking of how that even...”

With a little focus, like dad had taught her, J tuned out the rest of the conversation. They were both clueless to the real problem. She tried to calm her mind by focusing on one problem at a time. Her name. That was probably the easiest thing to think about. 

She had been named Jonathan Samuel Kent after two of her three grandfathers. So maybe she could choose her new name from her three grandmothers: Martha, Ella or Lara.

J smiled to herself. “Lara.” She said the name softly under her breath. She had always thought it was a beautiful name… Maybe now it could be hers. As for her middle name, it came from her Mom’s dad. Perhaps she could switch to her mom’s mom instead.

“Lara Ella Kent” she whispered to herself. That sounded about right. She hoped that Grandma Kent didn’t feel bad about getting left out. 

The young girl smiled. This had been one of the best days of her life. Everything, from the ballet session to talking with Colin, had helped to open her eyes and understand who she truly was. She was so excited (if nervous) to see what happened next.

Lara Ella Kent was about to finally drift to sleep when her eyes shot open with a realization; how would Grandpa Kent take the news of her giving up his name?  
With that thought now filling her head, the young super was in for a very restless night.  
________________________________________________________________

Most normal families living on the east coast of the USA would need to plan a trip way in advance, before visiting extended family in Kansas. Even then, the trip itself would usually take up a whole day of travel. The Kents, however, were not a normal family. They could make the almost 1400 mile journey from Metropolis to Smallville, Kansas in an instant, thanks to the Justice League teleporter system.

The Justice League had hundreds of secret teleportation pods hidden in key locations around the globe. One of these pods was in a disused phone booth not too far from the Kents’ apartment, in an alleyway away from prying eyes.

On Sunday, Lara and her parents made their way to the phone booth and the three of them squeezed inside. Luckily, the League’s magic users had placed simple perception-filter charms over the pods, so that they could only be found by those who were already aware of their existence.

Clark picked up the seemingly broken receiver and dialed a secret code. He then spoke three distinct codes: “Superman - A01, Lois Lane - B01, Jon Kent - C01.”

Lara winced slightly when she heard her deadname. She hoped that once she came out, she would be able to get her name changed in the Justice League’s database. Her list of coming-out-objectives just kept getting longer and longer.

Suddenly, the hidden mechanism inside the booth whirred to life, and the door automatically slid shut. There was a bright flash followed by the slightly disorientating sense of being teleported 1400 miles across the country.

When the Kents next opened their eyes, they were in a back corner of the large sturdy family barn, the space dimly lit and smelled of straw. “I wonder if we are the first ones here.” Lois said, totally used to the strangeness of life with super heroes.

Clark cocked his head and listened as he opened the barn door for his family. “I don’t hear them in the house… but I think I hear them coming.” He smiled and looked up to see two blue streaks converging on them. 

Kara Zor-El, AKA Supergirl, AKA Lara’s first cousin once removed, was the first to arrive, slowing her pace and gracefully descending from the sky, her cape billowing out behind her as she reached the ground. “Hey cuz! Hi Lois!” she hugged the couple together before turning to Lara. “Hi kid! Staying out of trouble?” She held her arms wide for a hug from Lara too. Lara was all too happy to oblige, especially since being called “kid” was one of the few names that didn’t feel triggering. 

Suddenly, there was a loud thud as a young man in his early 20s landed a few meters away. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a red superman logo along with faded jeans and sneakers. He had landed in a crouched position with one knee and a fist on the floor and the other hand in a raised position. A position better known as a…

“Superhero Landing!” exclaimed Conner Kent, AKA Superboy, AKA Lara’s big brother, with a big dumb grin on his face.

The force of the impact made Lara lose her footing and Clark had to catch her, “Conner! I told you to stop doing that!” He scolded, “You better held Pa fill in the crater.”

“Yeah yeah, you know I will, Pops! Don’t worry ‘bout it.” Conner stood and stretched, dusting himself off. He offered both Kara and Lara a fist to bump. Kara chuckled and returned the gesture but Lara hesitated, leaving the fist hanging. “Hey little man, don’t do this to me. Come on dude! You know you wanna!” Lara winced internally and half-heartedly bumped her fist against Conner’s. This was going to be a very long evening. The family headed towards the house.

Jonathon and Martha Kent were, quite simply, the world’s most amazing grandparents, as far as Lara was concerned. They were kind, funny, patient and could cook like nobody else. Lara always looked forward to seeing them at family dinners. 

Even filled with dread, Lara couldn’t help but smile at the elderly couple waiting for them. “Grandma! Grandpa!” She ran ahead of the rest of the group to hug both of them, feeling warm and safe. 

“Heya slugger! How ya been?” Grandpa Kent chuckled, ruffling her hair, not noticing her body tense up. In fact, none of the men noticed the subtle gesture, but Lois, Kara and Martha all exchanged a look.

“Not bad, Grandpa.” She tried to keep her mind off the roller coaster of emotions she was feeling today. “What’sth for dinner?”

Ma Kent laughed and smiled, kissing Lara on the cheek and motioned for everyone to follow her inside. “Trust a Kent boy to only be thinking with his stomach.”

“Hey! It’s not just the men in the family that get excited about your cooking Ma.” Kara said jokingly, hugging Martha as she walked around her. Lara held that comment in her mind as she made her way inside. Another small way Kara had accidentally helped her. “Let’s see if I can guess what’s on the menu.” The blonde took a deep breath into her nose, “Hmm... meatloaf, green beans and… mashed potatoes.”

“Close, Kara sweetie.” Martha laughed, “Clark, you’re the expert at this game, you want to guess?”

Clark gave a long, deep sniff. “Scalloped potatoes, cuz, not mashed.” He said, while taking his family’s coats to hang up in the closet.

Lara immediately perked up. Ma Kent’s meatloaf and scalloped potatoes were simply the greatest. Maybe this dinner wouldn’t be so bad.

Clark, Kara and Conner helped Martha with setting the table, their powers negating the need for oven gloves, and soon the table was all set. Lois sent Lara to go and wash her hands. The young girl was more than happy to have a moment’s privacy.

While she was in the bathroom, Lara listened in on her elders downstairs. She could hear a conversation between her mom and Kara:

“Lois” came Kara’s voice. “Is Jon feeling ok? He seemed a little… I dunno… distant?”  
“Yeah... “ Lois replied. “I noticed it last night. He was really quiet, and when he did talk, he was lisping more than usual.”  
“Maybe he’s nervous about his powers? Last night was training with Damian, right?”  
“It’s possible. Perhaps me and Clark should talk to him tonight?”  
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much, dear,” came a third voice, which Lara immediately recognized as her Grandma’s. “Jon should perk up after he’s had some food. And if that doesn’t work, I’ve got a surprise for him after dessert.” 

A surprise after dessert? What could that be? Lara thought to herself. She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. The very male looking face staring back at her did nothing to calm her nerves. “It’s ok Lara. They’re your family. They love you. They don’t mean to hurt you with thith.” Oh great, her lisp was acting up. Something else to worry about. With one final deep breath, she left the bathroom. 

Entering the dining room she found everyone already seated and the table loaded with food. A huge meatloaf with its outsides topped with crispy bacon, and a huge bowl each of creamy sliced potatoes and steamed buttered string beans. To top it all off, Lara could smell cookies in the oven and see two pies cooling in the window.

Lois helped Lara into her chair and seemed to continue a conversation she had started with Grandpa. “I’ve always wondered how you manage to pay for all the food it takes to feed this bunch.” As they spoke, Conner helped illustrate her point by cutting off a whole quarter of the meatloaf and putting it on his plate. Without saying a word, Martha gave him a stern look, making Conner cut off a smaller piece and put the rest back.

He gave a deep chuckle, helping serve his guests before helping himself to potatoes. “Oh it was a bit tough at first, but once Clark was old enough to help on the farm, we had nothing to worry about. Even back when he was Jon’s age, he could do the work of three men and do it better. We saved money, we prospered. And now if we need any help, we can ask one of his friends to lend a hand.”

The idea of the Justice League helping Grandpa on the farm was something Lara found pretty funny. She imagined Green Lantern milking a cow and Batman collecting eggs. She couldn't help but giggle at the idea.

Once everyone had a full plate, they began eating. Clark, Conner and Kara began swapping superhero stories. Clark had stopped a plane crash in Brazil. Conner had been training some new recruits in the Titans. Kara had been working with her girlfriend, Donna Troy, to find and capture Circe, who had recently escaped from her prison in Hades.

Eventually, the conversation came to the subject of the “Superboy” title, which Lara was supposed to inherit. Lara quickly thought of a way to change the subject. “I don’t think we need to rush anything!” she said quickly. “I mean, I still need to train more with Damian, and Conner will need to think of a new name.”

Conner laughed. “Don’t worry, bro! I’ve been trying out some new names. Steel Swag! SuperXtreme! The Fresh Prince of Krypton! What d'ya think?” He looked around the table. Even Martha was struggling to keep a straight face.

“Bummer,” said Conner, dejectedly. “Tim and Steph said they liked those names. I guess they were just trying to be nice.”

“Nevermind.” said Lois. “Like Jon said; you’ve still got time to think about it.” She looked over at Lara. “Sweetie, you’ve been acting all quiet recently. Do you think maybe you’d like to take a break from all this “super-business”?”

Lara smiled and nodded. Even if her mom didn’t exactly get why she was being quiet, she appreciated being called “sweetie” rather than her deadname. 

“Maybe you could stay with us for a week over the summer, Jon?” Grandpa suggested between bites, “Fresh air, quiet country life, real man’s work. Get ya out of the city for a while.”

Lara began to feel uneasy. She avoided looking at her grandfather as she thought of an answer. Normally she would love to spend a few days with her grandparents, but the way he had phrased it would have made her prefer a trip to the Phantom Zone. “Oh… Yeah…. Maybe, Grandpa? But I have lotsth of training to do over the thummer though. Stho I’m not thure how long I could sthtay.” Oh great. She had lisped every single S in that sentence. 

Lois, Kara and Martha exchanged a look, but Clark soldiered on, assuming he knew just what was wrong. “Jon, you don’t need to worry about your training. You can afford to take some time off.”

“Yeah little dude!” Conner agreed, ruffling Lara’s hair from across the table. “So what if you can’t fly yet? This stuff takes time.”

“No that’sth not what I wasth worried about.” She moved her chair back from the table a bit so Conner couldn’t reach. “I…” She tried to calm down. She knew half her family could hear her heart rate increasing. “I only thought I… have a few homework… projectsth to get done before the fall. I can work better from home.” She had hoped that choosing her words carefully and avoiding Ss would help hide her stress. However, it was so obvious that even Conner caught that something was wrong now. 

“Jon, what’s wrong, really? You can tell us.” Lois started, speaking gently.

“Nothing ith wrong!” Lara snapped back, the genuine concern only exasperating her feelings.

“Hey! Don’t raise your voice to your mother, young man!” Clark cut into the conversation.

“Calm down Clark, you’re not helping him.” Kara said, putting a hand on her cousin’s shoulder.

Conner tried to help in his own way, moving around the table to talk to Lara, “Hey little dude, you want to step outside? Tell me what’s up? Just talk brother to brother?”

Dude, bro, him, man… Jon… With everyone crowding around her, it was finally too much. “SHUT UP! Everyone just shut up!!” She screamed out, already in tears. She stood on her chair and jumped off it with enough force to shatter the wood. The force of the motion quickly propelled her over the table and the heads of her family, landing on one knee in a small hole in the wooden floor before running out the front door, into the night.

The silence lasted for a solid minute. No one knew just what to say. In the end, Conner was the first to speak. “... Superhero landing. I taught him that move.”


	5. The Girl Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How will Lara get out of the most tense moment in her young life?  
> Read to find out!
> 
> Warning: The begining of this chapter may be distressing for some readers.

Lara had no idea what she was going to do. She had never had an outburst like that before. Her family had always been so supportive and understanding that she rarely ever got seriously angry or upset with them. They had done so much to help her deal with superhero life. But nothing could have prepared them for this. 

She needed to be alone, to think. She ran for the barn and slammed the door behind her. It was only then, upon seeing the wood crack with the force of the gesture that she realized how rough she was being. She was usually so careful with her strength, knowing the damage it could do. Great. One more thing to feel bad about.

She hid herself away in a back corner of the hay loft. Just a nice dark place to be alone and cry, thinking how badly she had screwed up. However she was only alone for what felt like a few seconds when she heard the barn door open again, much more gently this time. “Jon? Honey, are you in here?” 

It was her mother’s voice, but Lara could hear she wasn’t alone. There was at least one other set of footsteps, and… maybe something else. She got her answer to the “something else” when Kara flew up to her hiding spot. “Lois! Ma! He’s up here!” She called down to the other women on the ground level.

Lois climbed up the ladder to the hay loft. “Jon?” she said, calmly. “It’s okay. I’m not mad. I just wanna talk.” She came and sat down next to Lara. Kara floated back down to the ground and quietly left the barn to give them some privacy.

Lara stayed where she was, hugging her knees and trying to avoid eye contact. She just wanted to be left alone. She shuddered as she felt her mom’s hand on her shoulder.

Lois sighed. “Oh, honey.” she said, making Lara feel a little better. “I’m so sorry about that. I know all this super-stuff is a lot for someone your age. But you enjoy it so much. It must be really confusing, especially with your powers coming in.”

Lara sniffed. Of course, her mom didn’t really understand what was going on. She never would unless she told her. But why couldn’t Lara bring herself to tell her? Why did it have to be so hard? How would her mom react if she told her?

Then, Lara remembered what Colin had told her about Lois. How she had written articles and campaigned for trans kids to get the love and support they needed. Maybe she could say something…?

Suddenly, Martha poked her head up into the hay loft. “Oh, you poor dear!” she said. “It must’ve been so stressful with everyone talking at once back there.” She came and sat on Lara’s other side.

“Tell you what, pumpkin!” said Martha, smiling. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I was gonna have this be a surprise after dessert, but I’ll tell you now...”

Lara looked up. She didn’t know what this surprise could be, but maybe it could lift her spirits. Grandma had always been great at that.

Martha smiled “You know the story of how I helped your father with his first Superman outfit? Well, Clark and I have been working on a special outfit just for you, Jon. You finally get to see yourself as Superboy!” 

Lara felt like she had just been punched in the chest. It was like some cruel prank. This was the ultimate confirmation that none of her family saw her as her true self. They all saw her as a boy. Worse, they saw her as “Superboy”, the masculine hero. She suddenly felt more devastated and alone than she had in a long time.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll look very strapping!” continued Martha. “You’ll look just like… Jon? What’s the matter, dear?”

Lara could no longer contain her emotions as she burst into tears. Her head fell into her hands as she began to sob. It was hopeless. None of them understood. How could they if she would never tell them?

She felt her mother’s arms around her and she felt herself being pulled into a hug. She sobbed into Lois’s shoulder.

“Jon!” said Lois, her voice trembling. “It’s okay! Mommy’s here! What’s wrong? Please, sweetie, tell me!” Lois sounded like she was on the verge of tears herself.

“Pleathe..” choked Lara, through her sobs. “Don’t… Don’t call me that. I… I don’t wanna… I don’t wanna be...”

“Don’t call you what, dearie?” said Martha, who looked heartbroken that her surprise had backfired. “Superboy? But I thought you wanted to be…”

“No!” sobbed Lara. “I mean… I don’t... I can’t…I...”

It was no use. She was going to have to tell them. It was now or never.

“I don’t... want...to be… “Jon”...anymore…” She forced the words out slowly.

There was a long pause. Lara shut her eyes and waited for their reaction.

After what felt like an eternity, Lois broke the silence. “You… don’t want to be…?” She had clearly not expected this. “Sweetie, What do you mean?”

Lara took a deep breath, wiped her eyes and moved so that she was sitting face-to-face with her mother. “I’m… not… a boy.” she whispered, softley. “I… Mom, I’m…” 

Lara swallowed, took a deep breath and finally said the words she had been trying to find the courage to say...

“I’m trans.” She whispered.

Silence fell. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off of Lara’s shoulders. But she didn’t feel relaxed yet. She’d only done the hard part. There was a lot more to come.

“Trans?” repeated Martha. “You mean like… transgender? You want to be…? I mean… You identify as…?” She stopped herself, apparently realising that it was best not to immediately bombard Lara with questions. 

Lara took a deep breath and looked up into the eyes of her mother. Lois’s eyes glistened with the slight trace of tears, and her expression was a mix of shock and pride. Then, Lois smiled softly, and slowly lifted her hand to stroke the side of Lara’s face.

“Oh, sweetheart…” she whispered. “Oh, my baby...” she pulled Lara into a soft, warm embrace.

Lara could feel her tears returning, only this time, they were tears of joy. Had she done it? Was this real? Was this acceptance?

“I wanted to tell you last night” Lara muttered. “But I was too… I thought you’d be…” She was so overcome with emotion that she could barely form the words.

Lois hugged her daughter even tighter. “Oh sweetie!” she sobbed. “How could I be mad? Everything makes sense now! I’m so happy for you!”

Martha reached in to join the hug. She said nothing, but her face shone with pride for her granddaughter.

Lara smiled softly through her tears. She was reminded of looking in the mirror at Wayne manor, seeing herself in the pretty ballerina’s outfit, amazed at how pretty she looked. She remembered Colin calling her “Miss Kent” and how wonderful it had felt. The euphoria that Lara had felt in those moments was flowing through her tenfold, as she felt the love and acceptance of the two most important women in her life (Well… ‘cept Kara and, maybe, Wonder Woman).

After a solid minute of hugging, Lois spoke up. “So... Jo-...Um!.. I mean...” She winced at her own slipup, but Lara barely noticed. She was feeling too good to let it get her down.

“I’m sorry, honey.” Lois sighed. “This is all so much! I’m so proud of you!” She hugged her daughter again, before asking, “So, I guess first of all... What do you want to be called now?”

“Oh...!” said Lara. “I was, kind of thinking… maybe I could be… Lara? Y’know, after Dad’s Krypton-Mom?”

Lois smiled with pride at her daughter, as Martha gave a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness for that! For a second there, I thought you were gonna say my name.” She grinned at Lara, “Sorry, kiddo! There can only be one Martha Kent!”

The three ladies laughed, then Lois spoke. “Lara is a beautiful name. It suits you very well, honey.” She paused for a moment, as she began to realize everything the young girl had gone through, “I’m so sorry for anything we said and did, Lara. None of use ever wanted you to be uncomfortable.”

Lara didn’t mind at all. Hearing her mother call her by her new name made her happier than she could stand. She hugged her mom so tight, she made Lois wince, “Easy sweetie! Don’t break me!”

Martha wiped her eyes and stood up. Then she called out, “I CAN TELL YOU’RE ALL ARE LISTENING! Y’ALL BETTER COME IN HERE!”

Lara looked around and saw a very sheepish Kara poke her head through an upper window, followed by a very surprised looking Clark.

“Pa, we know you are there too!” Lois called this time and Jonathan Kent entered the barn from the back door, looking a little ashamed of himself.

“Conner! No point in hiding, your hearing is just as good as dads!” This time it was Lara that called, actually surprising Lois and Martha. 

Conner entered by the front door and joined the line up of his ashamed family members, though he was the only one to not be embarrassed. “Come on pops! You didn’t have to hide outside the window to hear what they were talking about! I heard it all just fine from the living room. She was the only one who could tell I was listening!” 

Conner turned his attention back to the three ladies in front of him, “I’m sorry I gave you a hard time tonight, but I’m proud of you, Lara.” He smiled. “This is great! I’ve got a little sister!”

Lara was shocked by how well Conner was reacting. He was even already using her new name and pronouns like it was the most natural thing in the world. He didn’t even seem surprised that Lara was a girl. “You’re not mad, Conner?” She asked.

“Not at all sis! Remember, I’m dating both Tim and Steph. Plus, I help lead the Titans. No one in that tower is completely hetero.” He came over, knelt down and gave Lara a hug, “I’m still your big brother. Nothing like this would ever change how much I love you.”

Lara hugged her brother as tight as she could, on the verge of happy tears again. She looked over her brother’s shoulder at the rest of the family. Jonathon caught her attention for a moment. He was smiling, but not as widely as most of the family. “Grandpa… You aren’t mad that I don’t want to be… To have your name anymore are you?”

“Of course not, kiddo” said the old man. “It’s just, well I have to admit. I’m having a bit of trouble understanding all this, but if it’s what makes you happy, then I’m happy.” 

Conner let go of Lara and walked over to Pa Kent “Don’t worry Gramps, I’ll help you and Grandma with any questions you might have. I’ve had this talk with so many people I keep visual aids on my phone now.” 

Conner led Ma and Pa Kent back to the house for what was undoubtedly a unique and insightful lecture on gender identity, leaving Lara to speak to Kara.

Kara smiled as she hugged her little cousin. “I’m so proud of you, Lara! I’m also happy that you chose that name. I’m sure both Lara-El and Jor-El would be honoured.”

Having arrived on Earth at the age of 13, Kara was the only family member with any distinct memory of Kryptonian culture. This comment meant alot coming from her and Lara knew it. The two Supergirls hugged each other tightly, as Lara realized something… 

“Hey wait!” She said, looking at Kara. “If I’m gonna be Supergirl instead of Superboy, that means that you get to change your name instead of Conner.”

“Oh my god!” gasped Kara. “Yes! I’ve been looking for an excuse for ages. This is brilliant!” She then looked back at Lara. “Oh, Sorry” she said. “This is your moment, not mine.” They hugged again.

Lara giggled to herself. “Heh! At least now, Conner won’t go around calling himself “SuperBro” or something.”

“Oh, thank god for that!” said Clark, speaking for the first time in all of this, as if that happy thought had finally snapped his mind back to reality.

He looked around. Kara, Lois and Lara were all staring at him. The Man of Steel suddenly became very flustered. “I… I’m sorry. I just… Wow… I did not think this is where the talk I started listening to was going…” 

Clark’s eyes suddenly focused on Lara, as if he had only just noticed she was there. “Lara?” he said, slowley. “You’re a… You’re a girl?”

Lara tensed up for a moment, wondering what would happen next. Then, her dad smiled. “I have a daughter!” He cried. “Lois, we’ve got a daughter!” He rushed over and swept Lara up in his arms, pulling her into the biggest hug Lara had received that evening. “I’m so proud of you, sweetie!” said Clark, with tears in his eyes.

Lara could hardly believe it. She had been hoping for acceptance, but she had never expected this. The immediate love and support everyone had shown was overwhelming. It was no use fighting the tears of joy as she hugged her dad so tightly, if he had been a normal human, Lara could’ve seriously injured him.

“Oh, honey!” said Clark, as he heard his daughter sob, “I’m so sorry for earlier. If I had known, I’d…I...” He trailed off, as he tried to find the words. “Oh, Lara.” he said, softley. “I love you, you know that?”

“I love you too, daddy” Lara sniffed. “And don’t worry. You couldn’t’ve known. I only realised myself recently.”

“Oh?” Clark asked, still holding his daughter in his arms, “Well why don’t we go back inside, we get you some cookies and a big slice of grandma’s apple pie and you tell us all about it, ok?” 

Behind her dad’s back, Lara saw Lois carefully whispering something in Kara’s ear. The blond smiled and nodded, flying out the barn window she had been eavesdropping outside just moments ago.

“That sounds great, Dad” Lara grinned. “Where’s Kara going?” She had been so caught up in the moment with her dad, that she hadn’t heard what Lois had said.

“Oh I just asked her if she could quickly pick a few things up for me.” Lois tried to sound casual, but it was clear that she had something up her sleeve. “C’mon, sweetie. Let’s go get you some dessert!”  
________________________________________________________________  
Soon enough, Lara was sat by her mother’s side on the couch in her grandparents' living room. An extra large slice of warm apple pie with whipped cream sat on a plate on the coffee table in front of them along with a freshly baked triple-chocolate chip cookie.

Her dad sat on the other end of the sofa and Conner was still offering his detailed talk to Grandma and Grandpa. Kara still hadn’t come back yet. The family wanted to wait for everyone before Lara began her story. 

When she first came back into the house, Lara had apologized to her grandparents for breaking the chair and the floor in her outburst. Everyone had agreed it wasn’t her fault but she would help her grandpa fix the damage next weekend while Conner was there filling in his many craters around the farm.

As Lara happily munched her dessert, she listened to Conner’s lecture to Grandma and Grandpa. For someone who had, on two separate occasions, set fire to his own kitchen by microwaving soup in a can, Conner displayed remarkable knowledge and understanding of gender identity. 

“So seeing how Lara is still a little kid, her transition is probably gonna just be a social one for now.” said Conner, as he displayed an Wiki page on his phone to Jonathon and Martha. “Though, she might want to try puberty blockers soon.”

Suddenly, Conner paused and looked a little worried. He turned to look at Lara. “Hey sis. Have you thought much about…?” He paused, trying to think of what to say. “Have you thought about how you wanna transition?”

Lara chewed her cookie slowly while she considered this. When she had woken up that morning, she had spent most of her time in her room on her computer. She had pretended to be doing homework, but really she had been doing research on exactly how she could start living as a girl.

She hadn’t been able to research much thanks to her parent’s parental block, but she had learned that there were drugs that doctors could give her that would help make her body more feminine, as well as lots of different treatments and therapies to help her with the process. 

“I think... Maybe I should talk to a doctor?” suggested Lara. “Or maybe some of dad’s superhero friends might be able to help.” She looked at her dad. “Would it be okay if we asked them?”

“Of course we can!” said Clark. “But I think what Conner is trying to say is… You’ve got Kryptonian DNA. If you want to medically transition, we might need to look into different methods.”

Lara stopped chewing. She hadn’t thought of that. Most human medicines wouldn’t work on fully grown Kryptonians, which wasn’t normally a problem. If they got plenty of sunlight they never got sick. Even Lara who didn’t have all her powers yet still had perfect health, excluding trips to S.T.A.R. Labs every time her braces needed adjusting. “I guess Doctor October is the next person I need to come out to then.” Lara said after some thought. 

As S.T.A.R. Labs chief metahuman medic, Dr. Victoria October had been serving as Lara’s pediatrician and orthodontist for years. She had previously worked for Amanda Waller, at A.R.G.U.S., before Batman had convinced her to switch to a more reputable organization. Lara could not have asked for a better doctor. They don’t get much better than ones personally recommended by Batman himself. Plus, they couldn’t exactly trust any normal doctor with the secret identities of the Super-family,

“That’s a great idea, sweetie!” said Clark. “The doc’s an expert with this sort of thing.” He suddenly looked nervous. “Um… Meta biology, that is!” he added, quickly.

Before Lara could question her dad’s concerned look, she heard the sound of the front door opening. “Hey, I’m back!” came Kara’s voice.

The blonde woman entered the room, carrying several large shopping bags. Lois walked over to help her unload the shopping.

“Kara? Lois?” said Clark. “What’s all this?”  
Lois smiled. “Oh, I just needed Kara to pick up some things for me.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“You’ll see, cuz.”said Kara, grinning.

“Right!” said Lois. “Now that everyone’s here…” She smiled at her daughter. “Lara, sweetie. Do you want to tell us about these new developments? I can understand if you’d prefer not to…”

“No.” said Lara, quickly. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you guys about it all day. But first, what’s in the bags?”

Kara smiled. “Oh! Well, your mom and I thought, maybe while you tell us your story, we could give you a little…” She opened one of the shopping bags and pulled out a black rectangular box “...makeover?”

Lara gasped with excitement, before leaping across the room to hug her mother and cousin. “Thank you!” she squealed.

“It’s our pleasure, sweetie.” said Lois “Let’s sit you down so that we can decide what look we’re going for.”

Lara sat down on the sofa, her knees bouncing with excitement, as Kara produced a small vial of nail polish.  
“I was thinking, a light purple would be a good start…” she smiled.  
________________________________________________________________

As Kara got to work the younger Supergirl’s nails, Lara began to tell the story of how she had realised she was a girl. She spoke about how she had felt uneasy but hadn’t been able to figure out why. She then mentioned how she had met Damian’s trans boyfriend, Colin, who had opened her eyes to the fact that she wasn’t a boy.

“Wait? Colin?” interrupted Lois, “Colin Wilkes?”

Lara blinked. Then she remembered what Colin had told her. “Oh yeah!” she smiled, “Colin told me that you wrote an article that helped to get him adopted! 

“Aw, I’m glad he’s doing alright.” Lois smiled

“Wait a minute!” said Clark, suddenly. “Colin? The same Colin that I met on the bridge?”

“Oh…” said Lara, sheepishly. “Yeah, I forgot to say. Colin can turn into a giant Dragon-Bat and he flew me and Damian to Metropolis last night.”

Lois didn’t seem too surprised. “Makes sense” she laughed. “He’s the boyfriend of Robin and the son of two former villains. Plus he’s from Gotham! Kid’s gonna have something weird and wonderful about him.”

Lara smiled. “Mom? Could I see your article some day? The one you wrote about trans kids like Colin and me?”

“Oh, of course, honey.” said Lois “Maybe when we go see the doc, we can all talk about it. I did loads of research when I wrote that article. It’ll all be fascinating.”

Lara smiled and was about to continue the story when Kara spoke. “All done!” she said, proudly. “They look fabulous, girl!”

Lara looked down at her hands, now popping with a little color. She was glowing with happiness. “Wow! Thanks, Kara!” She began to get up from her seat to hug her cousin, but the elder Supergirl held up a hand to stop her.

“Woah there, princess! The polish is still wet! Just hold your hands flat with the fingers apart for a minute or too for them to dry. And while you wait, your mom and I can put a little makeup on you.”

“Oh! Right, thorry!” She blushed. Lara had forgotten the polish needed to set. There would be so much she would have to learn to be a girl full time. She tried to stay perfectly still, though she quivered with joy as she thought about how pretty she was going to be. 

Clark, Conner and Jonathon had left the room in order to give the girls some privacy. Martha stayed in her armchair, watching Lara with a proud smile, as she was beautified by Lois and Kara.

Eventually, after applying some lip gloss, eyeliner and a light blush, Lois and Kara moved back to admire their work. Kara pulled a small mirror out of one of the bags and handed it to Lara.

Lara gasped at the face staring back at her in the mirror. That beautiful, beaming smile couldn’t be hers, could it? Those weren’t her adorable, rosy cheeks or her pretty blue eyes, were they?

“What d’ya think, Princess?” said Kara

She got her answer when Lara threw her arms around her and hugged her with a force that was exclusively reserved for Kryptonians. “Thank you!” squeaked Lara.

“Hey, I helped as well!” laughed Lois. “Don’t I get a hug from my own beautiful daughter?”

While mother and daughter hugged on the sofa, Kara picked up another shopping bag and held it up so that Lara could see inside. The young girl peered in, and a gleeful smile spread across her face.

Inside was a bright red pleated skirt, some black tights and a pair of red flats, along with a blue girl’s sweater and hair clip both bearing the “Super-Emblem” worn by members of the Super-family.

“It’s not a costume made by your grandma, but I still thought you might want to be Supergirl tonight.” Kara said, beaming with pride at the young girl’s joyous expression.

“And don’t you worry, baby.” Martha interjected, “I’ll get right on making you a proper Supergirl uniform… Actually that gives me an idea…”  
________________________________________________________________

Out on the front porch Clark, Conner and Jonathan waited to see the girl’s handiwork. The two Kryptonians and the old man sat up when they heard the squeak of the floorboards, knowing someone was coming. 

Martha left the house first with a little twittering laugh while Kara and Lois held one of Kara’s spare capes up as a curtain to block the door. “Ladies and gentlemen!” Lois said dramatically, “Introducing, to all you good people, in her first public appearance! Supergirl!”

They pulled back the cape to reveal Lara dressed in her improvised outfit and smiling from ear to ear. Martha had added one last touch by fascening the cape from the Superboy costume to her sweater. Lara skipped down the steps and did a little twirl to show off her outfit; one of the few tricks she had picked up from her ballet lesson.

“Oh wow!” said Clark, beaming with pride at his daughter. “You look amazing, sweetheart. How does it feel?”

Lara could hardly contain her euphoria. The evening had started out so badly but had quickly turned into possibly the best night of her life. She finally understood who she was. Plus, she had a pretty new outfit and the love of an accepting and understanding family. She wasn’t just Lara Kent. She was Supergirl - The Girl of Steel!

“It feels…” said Lara, as she crouched down. “...AMAAAZIIIIING!!! She leapt up high, into the air. 

She wasn’t worried about injuring herself on the way down. She had had plenty of practice with her super-jump to know how to stick the landing. Even if something did go wrong, she had her dad, Kara and Conner down below to catch her if she needed it. She closed her eyes as she reached the top of her arc, about 100 feet up, and enjoyed the peaceful night air while waiting for gravity to bring her back down. Except... Gravity seemed to be taking it’s time…

After another moment remaining still so high above the ground, she finally opened her eyes and looked down. She was still in the air, high above her family and the farm house, her new cape billowing behind her like a majestic set of wings. “I’m… I’m flying…” She said in practically a whisper, before shouting the news to the darkening sky, “Daddy! I’m flying!”

Lara’s family below were already clapping and cheering. Conner actually leapt up onto the barn roof to whoop and cheer as loud as possible for his sister. Within an instant, Kara had flown up beside her to give her a mid-air hug. “Way to go, Princess!”

This made Lara feel so fantastic that, once Kara let go, she spun around and performed a loop-de-loop in the air, giggling all the way.

“Whoa!” said Kara. “Loop-de-loops already? You’re a fast learner!”

Lara paused when she heard this. Her cousin had a point. Why was she suddenly a flying expert? Her previous attempts had never amounted to anything more than “falling with style” as Damian would say.  
“I… I don’t get it.” said Lara. “My flying was never this good before. Why now, all of a thudden?”

“I think I might know.” said a warm voice from behind them.

Lara whipped around and saw her dad, dressed in his full Superman outfit. He was still beaming with pride and looked like he was on the verge of happy tears. “Oh sweetie! Your powers are connected to your feelings, and they are a part of you.”

Lara stared at her father, perplexed. “What do you mean?”

“When I first learned to fly, it was only after I understood who I really was, after I’d learned about my Kryptonian heritage.” Clark smiled. “I think it’s the same for you! Now that you’re able to be your true self, you’re finally able to fly!”

Lara could hardly believe it. This was it! The ultimate conformation of who she truly was. “I… I really am sth-” she paused, making sure she spoke clearly. “I’m Supergirl!” she cheered, as she sped off through the sky.

As Clark sped off after his daughter to give her first proper flying lesson, Kara watched them speed off into the night. She smiled. “If that’s not validation, I don’t know what is.” she said to herself.

High in the skies above Smallville, Supergirl danced in the air with her father. Clark proudly watched his daughter, as she twirled and soared through the air with beautiful grace. Lara stopped and blushed when she saw her dad watching.

“Aw, sweetie! Don’t stop!” said Clark “You’re doing great! Where did you learn to move like that?”

“Uummm...well.” said Lara. “I learned it from my ballet lesson with Damian and Colin.” She smiled sheepishly.

“Ballet?” said Clark. “Is that what Damian’s been teaching you all this time?”  
“No,” laughed Lara. “It was just yesterday, we wanted to try something different, and he suggested ballet. I even wore a tutu!”  
The Man of Steel chuckled with pride. “My little girl is a ballerina! I’m so proud!” Then he remembered, “Wait. Is that why Damian was wearing a dress last night?”  
“Oh, yeah!” giggled Lara. “He’s so… “extra”. That’s what his sister said.”

“Is that so?” laughed Clark, then he paused. “Does Damian know about this? You being trans, I mean?”

Lara sighed. “No. Not yet. I wanted to tell him yesterday but there wasn’t time. I just hope that, when I do, he’ll be okay with it.”

“Oh sweetie!” said Clark as he pulled Lara into a hug. “I’m sure he will. Damian is your friend and one of the smartest kids I know. He’ll be almost as proud of you as I am.”

Lara smiled. She had experienced many hugs in that evening, but this was easily the most memorable. “I love you, Daddy.” she whispered.

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Clark replied. “Now, how about you show me more of your amazing dancing?”

And so, the Girl of Steel and her father danced together in the sky, long into the night.


	6. The Doctor Is In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kents pay a visit to a very special Doctor, to talk about Lara's transition.

Lara slept well that night. Not only was her mind finally at peace, but she had flown for hours and “tuckered herself out” as Grandma had put it. She would have happily flown all the way home that night, no matter how tired she was feeling. In the end, they went home through the teleporter, which was good because Clark had to carry the poor girl the rest of the way back to the apartment, her energy leaving her quickly as her euphoria induced adrenaline wore off.

She woke the next morning feeling like a new woman, ready to take on the day! She sat up in bed, yawning and stretching before turning to look at her clock. It was 9:30 in the morning.

In the few seconds it took for the significance of the time to register in her brain, she realized her day had just gone from great to horrible.

She almost screamed out one of the bad words Damian’s brother Jason loved to say, but she contained herself and settled for just yelling, “I’M LATE FOR THCHOOL!!!”

In an absolute panic, the little Kryptonian began running around her bedroom, trying to find clothes to wear and get her homework together. Homework that she had never finished! Oh god, she was in so much trouble!

She then looked at her hands and remembered the nail polish. She would have to be careful not to chip it! Wait! What would the other kids say if she showed up with her nails painted?! She was happy to be out to her family but she wasn’t sure if she was prepared to be Lara at school just yet! If she had just remembered to set her alarm last night she wouldn’t have half of these problems to worry about!

It was only then that she heard someone calling her name and saw a very concerned looking Lois standing in the door, dressed in a shirt and skinny jeans rather than the suit she wore for work “Lara? Sweetie, calm down! It’s ok.”

“But mom, I overthlept! I’m tho late! I’m… Wait... Why aren’t you at work yet?” 

Lois knelt down and hugged her little girl. “I’m sorry, sweetie! I should have said something earlier but I thought you needed the rest. I called your school this morning. You’ll be out sick this week.”

“I am?” She asked, putting a hand to her forehead to check her temperature.

Lois laughed, “Well… if the school asks, yes. You are very sick right now, and we are going to see Dr. October today so it’s not a total lie.”

“We are?” said Lara. Then she remembered what they had discussed the night before and she realised what Lois meant. “We’re gonna see the Doc?! Yes!” She hugged her mother tightly before heading into the bathroom.

After a quick shower, Lara got changed (she was tempted to wear her new skirt but decided it was best to take things slowly) and headed into the kitchen. She smiled when she saw that Lois had made her favourite breakfast; Blueberry pancakes with strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate chips. “Whoa! Thanks mom!” she hugged her mother before sitting down and digging in.

Clark had already left for work, but Lois said that he was going to meet them at S.T.A.R. labs. This meant that mother and daughter had the apartment to themselves for the morning. Lara wouldn’t have had it any other way.  
________________________________________________________________

After a breakfast that was very filling to both the stomach and the soul of the young girl, Lara and Lois spent the next few hours together as mother and daughter.

They watched some cartoons, browsed fashion catalogs and swapped stories. Lara told Lois all about her ballet lesson and even demonstrated some basic movements, while Lois talked about the work she had done while campaigning for trans rights. The two of them found themselves bonding in ways they never had before. It was wonderful.

After lunch, it was time for Lara’s appointment with Dr. October, and the two ladies headed off for S.T.A.R Labs.

Even though S.T.A.R. Labs had a building in Metropolis, Lois and Lara still decided to use the teleporter. It would raise a few eyebrows to see a reporter and her child going into an advanced research center so frequently. 

Lois opened the door to the phone booth and entered the code for the S.T.A.R. Labs transporter. “Lois Lane- B01, Lara Kent- E01.” Lara stood a little straighter in surprise to hear her own name already in the system, but the teleporter turned on and they were off before she could say anything.

In a flash the pair of women were standing on a teleporter in the center of a laboratory. They stepped off the device just in case anyone else needed to use it and only then did Lara address her mother, “You already changed my name in the system?”

“Your father did, dear.” said Lois, as they made their way towards the doctor’s office. “He wanted to help you anyway he could. Although, he had to add you in as a new entry. We will change you back to C01 in no time though.”

In the teleporter’s ID system, “A”s were League members, “B”s were friends and family members, “C”s were sidekicks, “D”s were consultants, and “E” was normally for miscellaneous personnel. 

While she would have preferred not to be put into the “miscellaneous” category, Lara was thrilled at the efforts her parents were making. She held her mom’s hand as they headed down the corridor towards a door marked “Dr. Victoria October - Head of Metahuman Bioscience.”

As they reached the door, Lois pressed the button on the intercom and the fancy, hi-tech screen switched on to show the Doctor sat at her desk.

Dr. Victoria October was a tall, pretty woman with black, well-kept hair save for a single forelock streak that was as white as snow. She reminded Lara of a Hollywood star from the 1940s, both in terms of her appearance and mannerisms. When she heard the intercom buzz, the doctor turned to the camera and smiled. “Ah, Lois! I’ve been expecting you. Come on in!”

The door opened and Lara followed her mom inside. The room wasn’t a typical doctors’ office. It featured several objects that would not look out of place in a mad scientist’s laboratory. These included a large booth made of reinforced titanium, built to contain and treat volatile metahumans, along with various scanning devices and computer terminals. There was even a teleporter pod, for emergencies.

October was sitting at her desk and she smiled at Lara as she entered. It was a warm smile, but there was a hint of eccentric glee in her eyes, as if Lara was some exciting new project for her. Lara would probably have been disturbed by this, had she not come to expect it from the doctor. This was relatively normal behaviour for her.

Just as Lara and Lois were sitting down in front of the desk, a notification popped up on the doctor’s computer screen and an electronic voice spoke, “Teleporter access requested: Superman - A01.”  
“Confirm” said October.  
“Access granted” the machine answered, and the teleporter whirred to life.

Lara smiled as her father appeared out of the machine. He had evidently come straight from superhero work as he was buttoning up his shirt, under which Lara could see his Superman outfit. 

Lara knew that there were plenty of other heroes who could cover for her dad while he was here, but nevertheless, she was grateful that he had come to support her in a time like this.

“Welcome, Clark.” said Dr. October, formally. “Have a seat.”  
Clark sat down beside his daughter so that she now had both of her parents sitting either side of her. It made her feel much more safe and secure.

Once everyone was seated, October began the meeting. “I do hope nothing is wrong. Lois seemed very determined to arrange this appointment as quickly as possible.” She looked through the papers on her desk. “Jon isn’t scheduled for another appointment for two more months, so I have to wonder, what on Earth could be so important?”

Hearing her deadname caught Lara off guard and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Lois and Clark exchanged a concerned look. October noticed the sudden change in mood. “Is everything alright?” she asked. “You all look nervous.”

Lara felt her mother’s hand on her shoulder. “Sweetie? Do you want me to tell her?”  
Lara shook her head. “No, mom. I can do it.” Lois smiled and nodded.  
“We’re here for you, sweetie” said Clark.  
“Whatever it is, I’ll be glad to help.” said Dr. October.

Lara took a deep breath and looked at the doctor. “Hey Doc!” she smiled, nervously. “Uuhhh… I’m trans. I’m… a girl”

In all the years Lara had known the good doctor, she had never seen her be rendered speechless. October’s eyes shifted around, quizzically, as she examined the expressions of Lara and her parents. Or perhaps she was going over invisible equations in her head, to try and make sense of the situation.

After an awkward silence that lasted just long enough for Lara to start worrying that she had accidently broken Dr. October’s brain, the doctor’s face broke out into a smile.

“That’s amazing!” She smiled with pride at Lara, who blinked back in surprise. “Would you like me to use a different name?”  
“Wha-? Uuhh… Lara...” said Lara, without thinking.  
October smiled. “That’s a lovely name! I’m so happy for you, Lara!”

She then turned to look at Lara’s father. “Well, Clark!” she laughed. “Now I see why you and Lois were so desperate to speak to me.”

Clark suddenly became very flustered. “What?!... Oh no! It’s not like...I mean! I wouldn’t want to… “

The doctor held up her hand. “Clark! It’s ok. You did the right thing.”

Lara could barely follow what was happening. On the one hand, she was overjoyed at how accepting Dr. October was. On the other, she had no clue what was going on between the doctor and her dad. What were they talking about?

October stood up, walked the desk and knelt down next to Lara’s chair so that they were face-to-face. Lara looked into the doctor’s eyes and saw a warmth that she had never seen before, at least not from the doctor.

“I’m really proud of you, Lara.” she said, smiling. “Coming out takes a lot of courage, especially to someone who’s not a friend or family member. I feel it’s only fair if I let you in on a little secret of my own.” She paused, apparently for dramatic effect. “I’m also trans.”

This time it was Lara’s turn for her brain to nearly break. “You… you’re… you mean?” In the couple of seconds it took for her brain to reboot, October was just smiling and waiting. Finally Lara managed to say, “You’re like me?”

“That’s right.” She said simply with a chuckle, “I’m very proud of how I turned out too. After so many years, not many people would know unless I were to tell them.”

Lara looked at the woman in a quiet awe, “Will I ever get to be as pretty as you, Doc?” She blushed and covered her mouth, a little embarrassed by such a blunt question. However, October didn’t seem to mind it.

“Lara, you already are a pretty girl. You always have been. You didn’t know it at first, but now you do! Your parents know it too, and I will help you make sure the world knows it!” She paused, clearing her throat, realizing she had let her sense for the dramatic get ahead of herself. “Please, call me Victoria.”

Victoria turned to Lois and Clark. “I’m assuming this is why you wanted to talk to me today? Beginning her transition?”

Clark answered the question, while Lara blushed after being called a pretty girl. “That’s right Victoria. We thought we would need to come to you to talk about starting puberty blockers since we didn’t think the normal variety would work on Kryptonians.”

Victoria’s face lit up and her eyes shone at the idea of a new challenge. “Oh, this will be fascinating!” She began to pace around the office, thinking out loud to herself. “There have been many advances in the fields of HRT and SRS over the past few years, chiefly due to the scientific advancements of the metahuman era...” She paused when she realised that she was rambling.

“Forgive me,” she said. “It’s not my place to rush or encourage you. This is just a fascinating prospect for me.” She sat back down at her desk and began typing on her computer. “Let’s go over some details first.”

For the next twenty minutes or so, Lara listened to Victoria and her parents discuss various details of her transition. However, these details weren't as exciting as Lara had hoped. They mainly discussed the psychological and legal obstacles, along with complicated scientific mumbo-jumbo about developing blockers that would work on Kryptonians.

It was at this point that Lara realised that her transition was going to take longer than she had hoped. She hadn’t really thought much about it, with how quickly it had gone so far, but it was now dawning on her that this was a process that would take years.

She felt a peculiar mix of emotions. She felt a little bit sad and impatient at the amount of time and effort required to transition. But she also felt pride for her progress so far, excitement for what came next and joy at the idea of all her friends and family accepting and supporting her.

“...however, there may be a loophole.” said the doctor, making Lara snap out of her daydream and back into the discussion. “What? Really?” she said, hopefully.

“Yes,” Victoria nodded. “While Lara would probably face the usual obstacles of transitioning socially, Supergirl might not...” 

“What do you mean?” said all three Kent’s in unison. 

“Well, Superheroes are generally exempt from many societal norms, in the eyes of the public,” explained the doctor. “This would mean I could help you transition a lot smoother and, possibly quicker, if I were Supergirl’s doctor instead of Lara’s.”

Lara was liking this plan already.

“It would also mean you’d have easier access to metahuman resources to help you in your transition,” continued Victoria. “Bio-mechanics, alien technology and, maybe even, mystical forces could potentially be used.”

“Great! When can I start?!” said Lara, her knees bouncing with excitement.

“Calm down, sweetie!” said Lois. “There’s still some things we need to go over first.”

“Indeed.” said the Doctor. “Usually, before beginning a transition like this, I’d require some form of psychiatric evaluation to officially confirm that you were trans. Luckily, that may be another thing we can get with the help of the superhero community.” 

“Did you have anyone in particular in mind?” asked Clark.

“That depends on who Lara is already out to, or if she is willing to tell anyone else soon.” Victoria turned to Lara. “Do you mind telling me who you’ve come out to so far?”

Lara thought back to the past few days. “Well, there’s you, mom and dad. Then there’s my brother, Conner, my cousin, Kara, my Grandparents.” Then she remembered the boy who had helped her realise it in the first place. “Oh, and Colin! He’s my friend from Gotham. He’s the one who helped me figure out that I’m a girl.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Colin? He wouldn’t happen to be a friend of Robin’s, would he?”

“Yeah, Colin Wilkes! He’s Damian’s boyfriend.” said Lara, smiling. “Do you know him?”

“He’s another patient of mine.” Victoria explained. “It wouldn’t be professional to go into further detail, but it’s good to know he’s helping you.”

This made sense the more Lara thought about it. Colin would need a doctor that him and his moms could trust in order to help him with his transition. Batman had probably referred them to Dr. October, like he had with Lara.

“What we really need is sufficient evidence to show the other scientists in the labs.” Victoria continued. “I believe if we got them onboard, we could be able to synthesize functional blockers within a year. We may even be able to begin research into hormone therapy for when Lara is older.”

Suddenly, Lara had a brilliant idea. “Wait a minute! What about Diana?”

“Diana?” Victoria repeated, “You mean Wonder Woman? How would she help?”

“Her latho!” She paused trying to get the word right, “latho… latho! Gah! Her magic rope of truth! Let me hold it and ask all the questions you need to get me started!”

Victoria paused in thought “Hmm… in any other field of science, I’d be laughed out of the room for suggesting to use a rope gifted by the Greek gods to speed up the psychiatric evaluation. But in metahuman science, my colleagues would see that as more than enough. Of course it would mean coming out to Miss Prince next so we could ask her to help us.”

Lara grinned with excitement. Diana Prince AKA Princess Diana of Themyscira AKA Wonder Woman was one of Lara’s favourite superheroes and a close friend of the Super family. She was also an inspiration to girls everywhere, fighting for womens’ rights and encouraging everyone she met to be the best versions of themselves.

“I can’t wait to tell her.” said Lara, before turning to her father. “Mom! Dad! When can I tell her?”

Lois and Clark smiled. They were so proud of how far their little girl had come in such a short amount of time. She was becoming braver and more confident every moment. Even when faced with the prospect of coming out to a completely different person, she persisted with a smile on her face.

“Well, sweetie,” said Clark. “I do have a meeting with Diana and Bruce at the Watchtower, tonight. You’re more than welcome to join me.” He paused “Although, that would probably mean having to come out to Bruce as well. Also, Kara said she was coming, so Donna’s probably joining her. Not to mention that Bruce might bring Damian…”

“Okay!” thought Lara “Looks like we might have an audience” She bit her lip and gave a long pause. 

“Honey,” said Lois, reassuringly. “We could always arrange another time?”.

“No!” said Lara. “I… I think I can do this. I mean… Of course, I can do this! I’m Supergirl!” It still felt so amazing to say that.

Victoria smiled. “I’m really happy for you, Lara, and don’t worry about telling Batman. Despite the tough exterior, he’s incredibly accepting and supportive. In fact, he was one of the first people I came out to when I first began my transition.”

Lara gave a little sigh of relief. While she had done her best not to show it, the idea of coming out to Batman had intimidated her a little. Bruce Wayne was often a little hard to read. The Wayne family were great to hang out with and Bruce was no exception. He always threw the best parties and had a soft spot for kids like her. But he was still Batman! He had a reputation for being absolutely terrifying to anyone who got one his bad side. It made Lara feel a lot better to know that her Uncle Bruce was supportive of trans people.

“Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?” asked Victoria, looking at her watch.

Lara considered for a moment. The big task she had needed to discuss with Dr. October was done now. She was out to her doctor and knew what she had to do next. There’d be no point asking about things like side effects or how long the transition would take. Being the first ever trans Kryptonian (she assumed), she knew her medications would probably be new and experimental; no way to know what would happen. “I think I’m ok for now. Thanks, Dr… Thank you, Victoria,” she amended quickly, “You’ve helped me so much!”

“It was nothing.” smiled Victoria, as she walked with the Kents to the door. “I’m just doing my job. Good luck with everything, and if you need anything, I’m always just a phone call away.”

Lara beamed up at the kind woman and before she knew it, the young girl was hugging the doctor tightly around the waist.

Victoria seemed surprised by this display of affection, but she happily put a hand on Lara’s shoulder and knelt down to her level. “You are a brilliant young woman, you know that?” She smiled, only this time there was no eccentric gleam in her eyes. It was a smile of 100% pure warmth. “You are intelligent, strong, kind and pretty. You go, girl!”

Lara gave her one quick last hug goodbye, before turning to leave with her parents. As she headed down the hallway, holding both of her parents hands, she felt like she was ready to take on the world.


	7. Princesses, Pizza, Punk Phases and Parental Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lois and Lara bond as mother and daughter.

Clark had to head back to work after the meeting with Dr. October, so Lois and Lara headed home to spend the rest of their afternoon together. They went back to the apartment to have a lovely girly time as mother and daughter.

Lois brought out the makeup kit from the night before along with one of her own and they spent the next hour trying out different looks and painting each other's nails. By the time they were finished (and after a large pile of makeup wipes had formed), the two ladies were looking stunning!

Lois had gone for a simple but sweet look, whereas Lara had updated her look from the night before to include some blue eyeshadow, a touch of glitter with her blush and a pinker shade of lipgloss. The two had also painted both their toenails and fingernails. Both of them had purple and red on their fingers and had painted their toes in a pattern of blue, pink, white, pink and blue; the colours of the trans pride flag.

After their makeover, Lara suggested they watch a classic Disney movie. “Great idea, sweetie!” said Lois. “What are you in the mood for?”

Lara thought to herself. Her usual pick would have been something like “Aladdin” or “Toy Story”. But things were different now and she felt like trying something new…

“Could we maybe watch a princess movie?” Lara asked.

A warm smile spread across Lois’s face, along with a gleeful look in her eye that reminded Lara of Dr. October. “Oh, I have been waiting for this!” she smiled.  
________________________________________________________________

A short while later, Lara was snuggled up with her mom on the sofa, watching “The Little Mermaid”. Lois had been trying to convince Lara to watch it with her for years, and now seemed like the perfect time.

All throughout the film, Lara found herself sympathising with Ariel and her desire to become a human woman (Although, if Lara were in her position, she would be more than happy to be a mermaid). 

By the end of the film, Lara was glued to the screen and grinning from ear to ear, as Ariel walked out of the ocean in her beautiful sparkling dress with her wish finally granted. As soon as the film was over, Lara was certain that she now had a new favourite Disney movie.

Lois smiled at Lara’s face as the credits rolled. “Yep!” she grinned, “I had the exact same reaction when I was your age. It was always my go to movie whenever I felt sad. Even when I started going through my punk phase, I still loved...”

“YOUR WHAT?!” shrieked Lara, barely hiding her laughter. “You had a punk phase?! No way! Can I tell Conner?”

“Never! You’ll do no such thing!” gasped Lois, grabbing her giggling daughter in a bear hug.

“Too late!” Lara cackled, evilly. “Your secrets are out now! Mwa ha ha ha!”

“Very well, Supergirl!” said Lois, in her best supervillain voice, “You leave me no choice! BRING FORTH THE CLAW!!” 

“NO!” screamed Lara, before descending into a giggling mess as Lois began to tickle her all over. 

Before Lara knew what was happening, she began floating off the ground and up towards the ceiling. In her fit of giggles she didn’t even realize she was flying until Lois said “Curses! You may have escaped this time, Supergirl! But you can’t run forever!”

Lara stayed, floating against the ceiling as she got all the giggles out of her and caught her breath. “You can really be evil sometimes if you try, mom!”

“I’ve had years of practice.” She chuckled and stood up to be closer to her daughter’s line of sight. “But I can be benevolent sometimes. Your father still won’t be back for an hour. What better way to finish mother-daughter day than by ordering an extra-large pepperoni pizza?”

Lara cheered and dropped down from the ceiling to hug Lois. “Can we get stuffed crust?” she asked.

“Anything for my little girl.” smiled Lois, returning the hug.  
________________________________________________________________

While Lois ordered the pizza, Lara went to her room to get changed. She had been wearing her basic jeans and jacket combo all day, and longed to be back in her Supergirl outfit. Something just felt so right when she was back in the skirt and leggings. She took a long moment to look at herself in the mirror and felt the euphoria surge through her. 

She felt even prettier than yesterday! It was strange how something like painted toenails, that she couldn’t even see, could make her feel so much prettier! All the same, she couldn’t help but stay hidden in her room for a minute when she heard the apartment buzzer, letting her know the pizza had arrived. She hated herself a bit for that fear. Tonight she was going to come out to freakin’ Batman and Wonder Woman! But she was nervous that some random pizza guy would potentially judge her? No matter how confident and happy she felt as Supergirl, she realized it might be much harder just to be Lara Kent.

She let out a sigh and walked out of her bedroom, her mood perking to see Lois had gotten garlic bread as well as pizza. But it was then as she was getting into her chair at the table that she had another thought. “Mom? Am I less of a girl if I still like to eat like this?”

The question actually surprised Lois, “Oh sweetie! Of course not! What put that in your head?”

Lara sighed. “Just thinking about some of the girls from school. I remember Karen saying something about not understanding how boys could put this stuff in their bodies.”

Lois sat down in the chair next to Lara. “Darling, eating nothing but lettuce and judging people that like burgers and fries doesn’t make anyone more of a girl.” To illustrate her point, Lois loaded both her and Lara’s plates with sizable portions. “There’s no wrong way to be a girl, princess. You don’t have to listen to anyone else on how to eat or how to dress.” 

She put a comforting hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “Think about that summer barbeque we went to, at Wayne Manor. Did you see any two women eating or acting exactly alike?”

Lara smiled at the memory. She remembered Damian’s mother, Talia, eating a black bean burger with a knife and fork. She also remembered Stephanie Brown winning the rib eating contest (Tim and Conner had been so proud).   
“That’s true,” smiled Lara, and she began to dig into her pizza.

“You’re still young, sweetie. You have your whole life to figure out what kind of girl you want to be. And you are allowed to change your mind too…. In fact, let me give you an example…” She got up and walked over to the book shelf full of photo albums. She reached into the very back and brought out a small volume. Lara could see from a distance that the spine was labeled “Lois’s College Years.”

Lois brought the album over to her. “You must never tell anyone about this.” She said, voice full of solemn gravity. “I am only willing to show you this if you swear to never tell your brother what this book has hidden in it…”

“I promise!” said Lara, giving her best innocent-angel look. Lois took a deep breath and opened the book as Lara gazed inside.

The photos were all of a young woman in her late teens, or possibly early 20s, wearing a black faded-denim jacket. She had very short spiky brown hair, with the tips dyed black, and was wearing rounded, gold-framed glasses, along with a spiked collar around her neck. She had a cocky grin on her face, exaggerated by her dark eyeliner and deep red lipstick. One hand was in her pocket, while the other adjusted her glasses showing off her simple black nail polish.

Lara looked at the photos, and then looked at her mother, and then back to the photos, and back to Lois. The little Supergirl's jaw slowly dropped, as she realised who the woman in the photos was. After a brief silence, Lara finally muttered “Whoa...! Mom, you looked amazing!”

Lois smiled at her daughter, chuckling at memories brought on by the old pictures, “Are you implying that I don’t look amazing now?”

“No! No you look amazing now too!” She quickly corrected, even knowing Lois had been joking, “But it’s a different kind of amazing! You look like a totally different person! Why don’t you want me to tell anyone about this?”

She paused, trying to think of how best to explain it. “Well… Like you said, I’m a different person from the girl you see there. I tried new things, found different interests, had a bad break-up, life can change a person in all kinds of ways.” Lois sighed as she closed the book. “And sometimes when you change that much from who you were, you feel a bit embarrassed by some of the things you did back then.”

“What sort of embarrassing things did you do, mom?” she asked, trying not to smile. Grandma was full of stories to embarrass dad, but mom didn’t have many people to spill her secrets.

Lois smirked and took the picture back and put it away “Sorry princess. I can’t tell you those stories till you are older. Let’s just say me and my old girlfriend liked to cause trouble.”

This statement made Lara’s brain come to a crashing halt. Lois was starting to think it was something genetic to Kryptonians. She had walked across the room and put the album away before Lara had regained the ability to talk “You had a girlfriend!?!”

“Oh yeah, several actually.” said Lois, enjoying the look on her daughter’s face “Haven’t I ever mentioned them before?”

“...I don’t think you’ve ever brought it up...” murmured Lara.

“Well,” said Lois, taking a bite of pizza, “That’s a story for another day. Now are you gonna help me eat this food, or do I need to phone Conner?” 

Lara grinned, and happily resumed eating.  
________________________________________________________________

Before long, the two had finished their meal. They had saved a few slices for Clark, who was supposed to be home any minute. While they waited, Lois talked to Lara about her “coming-out” strategy.

Lara felt a lot more confident about this scenario, compared to the night in the barn. For one thing, she had plenty of asurrence that Bruce and Diana would be accepting and supportive. For another, she knew that both her dad and Kara would be there to support her and help her if anything went wrong.

With this in mind, Lara had made the decision to wear her Supergirl outfit and keep her makeup on when she would make her debut to the other heroes. It was a decision that Lois supported 100%.

When Clark finally arrived home, he was greeted by his daughter literally flying into his arms and hugging him. “Hey sweetie!” laughed Clark. “I take it you’re still up for coming with me to the Watchtower tonight?”

“Uh huh!” said Lara, confidently. “I’m all ready for my big debut! Mom even helped me with my makeup.” She floated in the air and twirled to show off her outfit. Lara was quickly discovering how much she loved twirling in her new skirt. It was made even better when she did them in mid-air,

“You want to wear your Supergirl costume?” said Clark. “I mean, I’m happy for you, and I’ll support you no matter what. But are you sure about this?”

“Don’t worry, dad!” Lara smiled. “Me and mom came up with a plan. We just need to talk to Kara first.”

“Kara?” said Clark, “What for?”

Lara landed gently on the floor as she began to talk her father through her plan. “You and Kara are the only people coming to the meeting who know I’m a girl.” explained Lara. “So you two can go on ahead and talk to the others, while I wait in the hallway. When you give me the signal, I can make my entrance!” She threw her arms out in a “ta-da” gesture to illustrate her point.

“Your entrance?” repeated Clark.

“Of course!” said Lois, entering the room and kissing her husband on the cheek. “If our little girl is going to come out to Batman and Wonder Woman, then she has to do it with style!” 

Clark laughed as the two ladies adopted a back-to-back girl power pose. “Alright then!” he said. “I’ll message Kara to let her know we’re coming. We can meet up with her on the Watchtower”

“Awesome!” cheered Lara, smiling up at Lois and Clark. 

As they smiled back at her, Lara couldn’t help but think about how quickly her parents had accepted her as their daughter. All of her fears about coming out had been drowned out by all the love and support that they had shown. Lara couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have them as her parents. “Mom… Dad… I just wanna say… Thank you. Thank you for supporting me and everything!”

Before Lara could say another word, both parents had knelt down and pulled her into a gigantic family-hug.   
“Your mother and I are so proud of you, sweetheart!” said Clark.  
“And we support you no matter what!” added Lois.

“I love you.” sniffed Lara

“We love you too.” they replied.  
________________________________________________________________

A little while later, Clark had finished off the pizza and Lara had told him all about her day. She kept her promise about not telling anyone about Lois’s college photos, so she just talked about how much she enjoyed “The Little Mermaid”. Clark considered contacting Aquaman, and asking him if Lara could come and meet some real mermaids, but he decided not to bring it up yet.

As father and daughter were getting ready to leave, they got a text from Kara, saying that she would meet them up on the Watchtower. Clark read the message curiously. “Kara says she was planning to go up to the tower tonight with Donna anyways. Strange, it’s not monitor duty for either of them tonight.”

Lara shrugged. “I guess they just like spending time together.”

Kara had been friends with Donna Troy ever since she became a superhero, and they had been girlfriends for several years. This meant that the Kent family were on good terms with Donna, who often accompanied Kara when she came to visit. Lara had always enjoyed her company whenever they came to babysit.

“Are you two heading off now?” asked Lois, as she entered the room. 

“Yep!” said Lara, buzzing with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

Lois had offered to accompany them to the Watchtower, but Lara had declined. She felt confident enough to not need any additional help and she didn't want Lois to overwork herself for her sake. Plus, Lara had spent the whole afternoon with her mom. Now she could spend the evening with her dad.

Lois knelt down and hugged Lara tightly. “Good luck, my little Supergirl!” She whispered in her ear.  
“Thanks, mom.” said Lara, feeling a flutter in her stomach that could have either been euphoria or nerves.

“Ready, Lara?” said Clark, putting a hand on his daughter’s shoulder.  
Lara smiled. “I’m ready, dad. Let’s go!”

Clark held Lara’s hand for the initial takeoff, but once they were in the air above Metropolis, Lara felt comfortable letting go. They were heading for a different teleporter this time; one of the ventilation units on the roof of the WayneTech Tower, which contained a concealed teleporter pod.

It didn’t take long to get to the tower, even for a new flyer. Clark and Lara touched down on the roof and opened up the vent. As they stepped into the pod, Clark spoke to Lara before entering the codes. “Kara’s going to meet us once we get there.” He explained. “She’s gonna meet us there alone and find a place for you to wait while we talk to the others. When you’re ready, you can make your entrance.”

Lara took a deep breath and grinned. “Time for them to meet the new Supergirl!” she said, dramatically.

Clark smiled at his daughter. “That’s my girl!” he laughed.

Lara once again felt a little flutter in her stomach, as her dad entered the code phrases, and they vanished in a flash of light. 

The Justice League Watchtower was an enormous high-tech space station in orbit above the Earth. Built by combining the technology of various alien races with the most advanced space-based technology from Earth. The construction and maintenance was overseen by Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries, as well as multiple space agencies from around the world. To top it all off, the Watchtower was protected and sustained by countless enchantments and spells, put in place by Zatana, Doctor Fate and the Amazons. To summarize, it was one of the most incredible places Lara had ever seen, and that wasn’t even considered the view that came with it.

Every window in the Watchtower showed something beautiful and amazing; the serenity of the moon, the vibrant beauty of the earth, even the calm quiet of star-studded black. No one ever forgot their first visit. As the child of Superman, Lara had already been to visit several times… but coming today as Lara Kent, and as Supergirl, it felt like her first trip all over again!

As Lara and Clark materialised in the main concourse, they were greeted by someone flying up to greet them. Lara blinked, before she recognized the figure as Kara.

Kara wasn’t wearing her usual Supergirl outfit, nor was she wearing civilian clothes. She appeared to be wearing a simple grey jumpsuit or unitard, not unlike the nanosuit that Colin had worn the other day. 

This wasn’t the only difference, as she had also apparently had a haircut. She had previously had long hair that she sometimes wore in a ponytail, so both Lara and Clark were very surprised to see her with an asymmetrical pixie-bob cut, with bangs partially covering the right side of her face and with the back and sides shaved incredibly short.

“Hey, cuz! Hi, Princess!” Kara smiled, as they stared at her. “You like the new haircut?”

“Whoa!” said Lara, “You look so cool! But what’s with the outfit?”

“Is that one of the suits from the Holo-Sim room?” Clark asked.

“Oh yeah!” laughed Kara. “Me and Donna were just in there. We were using it to try out some new costume ideas. Do you wanna come and see?”

“Maybe later.” Clark laughed. “First, Lara and I have some business to attend to.” He placed a reassuring hand on Lara’s shoulder.

“Oh, of course!” said Kara. “Sorry! Busy day.” She turned to Lara and smiled. “How are you feeling, princess? ‘You feeling up for this?”

Lara took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m ready.” Though her voice was shaky.

Kara knelt down and put a hand on Lara’s other shoulder. “It’s okay to feel nervous. Just remember, your Dad and I are here for you.”

Kara looked up at her cousin. “Clark. Diana, Batman and Robin are waiting for you in the main hall. Donna’s heading up there too. Do you want to head on up there? I can bring Lara when she’s ready.”

Clark looked at Kara, and then back at Lara, and smiled. “Actually,” he said, “I want to have a talk with Lara first, if that’s okay?”

Kara stood up and smiled. “Of course!” she smiled. “I’ll let them know you’re on your way.” She turned and flew off down the corridor.

Clark sat down on a nearby bench and beckoned Lara to come and sit next to him. Lara obliged, wondering what her dad wanted to say.

“Lara.” he said, in a calming, sincere tone. “I just wanted to say how proud of you I am right now.” He smiled at her, and Lara could see tears in his eyes. “Whatever happens from here on out, I just wanted you to know that, right now, you are my daughter and I love you so much. Nothing will ever change that.”

Once again, Lara felt all of her doubts and fears vanish, to be replaced by warm feelings of love and euphoria. She hugged her father tightly. “Daddy…” she whispered, struggling to find the words. “I… I…”

“It’s okay, sweetheart.” said Clark. “I know. I love you too.”

As Lara let go, Clark stood up and offered her his hand. “So…” he said, “Is my little angel ready for her big moment?”

Lara grabbed her father’s hand and smiled. “Up, up and away.” she giggled.

Clark beamed with pride at his daughter’s use of the Super-family’s unofficial motto, before father and daughter floated up into the air, and soared off down the corridor.


	8. Up, Up and Away!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for the Justice League to meet Lara Kent...

The hallways of the Justice League Watchtower were built to be very wide and with incredibly high ceilings. This was done in order to allow flying heroes, such as Lara and her father, plenty of room to maneuver. Despite this, the corridors were all empty that night, with the exception of some maintenance and janitorial droids that kept the station functional and tidy.

Lara was grateful for this, as she would have hated to have accidently flown into Martian Manhunter or a Green Lantern, and have to explain her appearance by coming out unprepared.

It didn’t take long for Lara and her father to zip through the corridors until they eventually arrived outside the main conference room of the Watchtower. Thanks to her super-hearing, Lara could already hear several familiar voices.

First, she heard the deep and serious tone of her Uncle Bruce, AKA The Batman. “The latest intel from the GCPD suggests that, not only has Crane displayed a recent fascination with Olympian magic, but he has also fled Gotham. It may seem unlikely now, but we can’t ignore the possibility that the two cases are connected.”

“I will be sure to inform the other Amazons.” came a second voice. Lara smiled as she recognized the strong, yet calm voice of Princess Diana of Themyscira, AKA Wonder Woman. “Circe has kept an unusually low profile since her escape. I pray to Hera, that these concerns are unfounded. Crane’s evil combined with Circe’s power would be a force to be reckoned with.”

Donna Troy’s voice was next to speak up. “Don’t worry, Diana. Kara and I are keeping a close eye on the Circe situation. The second she makes a move, we’ll be ready.”

A younger, Arabic-accented voice interrupted Donna. “Tt. All the same, if they are working together, we would rather you let us deal with Crane.” said Damian. “My Habibi and I have a score to settle with that madman.”

Lara couldn’t help but wonder what the others were talking about. Crane? Were they referring to the Scarecrow? She had heard plenty about him from Damian, which was enough to give her nightmares. The man was a former psychologist who had invented “fear-gas”, that gave people hallucinations of their worst fears come to life. Though Lara had never met him, and she wasn’t even sure if the gas would work on Kryptonians, the idea of Scarecrow being on the loose was not something she wanted to dwell on.

As for Circe, Lara knew even less about her. She knew that she was an evil Greek sorceress, who enjoyed transforming her victims into animals, and that she was an old enemy of Wonder Woman. But aside from that, nothing. 

Lara decided it was best not to think about these issues. She had a job of her own to be getting on with. Besides, the Justice League had defeated loads of powerful bad guys before. An old witch and a crazy scarecrow wouldn’t be a problem, right?

Clark gave Lara a look that read, “You okay, honey?”, and Lara gave him a thumbs-up. 

“Well, until we have further information,” said Diana from inside the meeting room, “I’d suggest we move on to the next topic.”

Right on cue, Clark entered a code into the panel and the door slid open. Clark stood in the doorway as Lara hid around the corner. 

“Good evening, League!” Clark said, cheerfully. “Sorry, I’m late.”

Lara could hear Bruce and Damian grumble, but Diana’s tone indicated that she was smiling.

“Not to worry, Clark. Welcome!” said Diana. “You’re right on time, actually. Didn’t you say that you had a special announcement to make?”

Lara felt butterflies in her stomach. It sounded like her cue was coming any second now.

“Ah, yes!” Clark cleared his throat as he began, “Well you see, the other night, I had dinner with my family and we…Something happened...with one of my… kids...” He paused as he tried to think of what was best to say. He clearly should have rehearsed this like Lara and Lois had. 

“Did something happen, Clark?” Diana cut in, sounding genuinely concerned by his hesitation, “Did something happen with Conner or Jo-”

“No!” Clark cut Diana off a little too loudly and quickly. Even if it was an accident, Lara was glad that her dad had stopped Diana. Being deadnamed by her favourite superheroine would not be a very encouraging experience.

Clark tried to gather himself, apparently conscious that everyone was now staring at him like he had two heads. “No, Diana,” he repeated. “The kids are fine. Great in fact!”

“Clark. What is going on?” Batman asked, sounding less worried and more annoyed, “I haven’t seen you this nervous about a personal matter since I helped you practice proposing to Lois.” He said this like it was the most casual thing, but Lara had to suppress her laughter at the mental image of Bruce Wayne looking all stoic and serious, while Clark knelt before him with a ring. It was even funnier if she pictured it with Batman, instead of Bruce Wayne.

“Would you like me to give this a try, cuz?” Kara asked.

“No, no I’ve got this…” Clark took another deep breath and figured it was best to just be direct and let Lara do her own talking. “There is someone special I’d like to introduce you to.” He turned to the doorway and dramatically gestured with one arm, “Presenting, for the very first time; The New Supergirl!”

Lara steadied herself before flying from her hiding space and through the doorway, coming to a stop in midair by her father's side, her cape flapping around her. 

“Hi everyone!” she said, hoping her confident voice concealed her nerves. “You can call me Lara. Um… I’m trans.” She grinned nervously and closed her eyes, as she anticipated everyones reactions.

Silence hung in the air. The only sound that could be heard was the soft hum of the Watchtower’s generators. Lara kept her eyes shut. She didn’t want to look at everyone’s expressions. 

She was waiting for somebody to say something, but then she heard three pairs of hands loudly clapping. It was only then that she opened her eyes and looked, curious to see who it was. 

Looking around the meeting room table she saw her dad and Kara clapping proudly. Then she saw Diana who was beaming with just as much pride, as she clapped along with the Supers. Feeling her spirits soar, Lara turned her attention to the other three people in the room. 

Next to Kara, Donna seemed to be slowly connecting the dots of what this reveal meant, and as she put it together, a wide smile came to her face, and she enthusiastically joined in the clapping. 

Finally, Lara looked at Batman and Robin. The father-son duo was a little harder to read. As best as she could tell, she had at least surprised both of them, which was an accomplishment in and of itself. After a few seconds, Batman did something incredibly unusual and slightly scary; he smiled!

Damian looked up at his father, who started clapping along with everyone else, and then back to Lara. He still looked like he was trying to piece everything together.

Suddenly, Lara felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw her father, beaming with pride and his arms open. She got the message and gladly accepted the warm hug.

“Way to go, Princess!” cheered Kara from across the table. Lara looked over, and her and Donna were still clapping. Donna smiled at Lara with tears in her eyes.

Just then, Lara felt another hand on her shoulder, followed by a kind voice saying, “I’m so proud of you, Lara!”

Lara let go of Clark and turned to see Diana, who’s tender smile of delight was enough to make Lara throw her arms around the Princess of the Amazons.

Diana gratefully returned the hug before kneeling down so that she was at eye-level with Lara. “I should have known,” she smiled. “You’ve always had the spirit of a true Amazon, Lara. You are a brave, strong and beautiful young woman.”

Lara beamed at Diana, as tears of joy began to glisten in her eyes. “R-Really?” She gasped. “You really mean it?”

“Of course!” said Diana “We have trans women like you on Themyscira. They are all as incredible as any Amazon.” She paused, seemingly having an idea. “Perhaps, If you wanted to, I could invite you to come and visit Themyscira. I’m sure many Amazons would be honoured to meet the legendary Lara Kent - Daughter of Superman!”

It was all too much for Lara. This entire experience had given her so much euphoria, that she could no longer handle it. She embraced Diana tightly and began to cry tears of joy.  
________________________________________________________________

A short while later, Lara was sitting in the Watchtower’s botanical wing, alongside Diana, Donna and Kara. After Lara’s joyous outburst, Diana had suggested they go somewhere quiet where Lara wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed. Clark had initially accompanied them there, but had then headed back to the meeting room to talk with Batman. So now, it was just Lara and three of the world’s most famous superheroines, having a girl-to-girl talk in a beautiful garden in space.

The botanical wing was a very popular spot for heroes to come and relax or meditate, due to it’s quiet, peaceful atmosphere and the calming scent of exotic flowers. Sitting there with Kara, Donna and frickin’ Wonder Woman, Lara felt like a true princess! She recounted the story of the last couple of days to them, happy to feel that it was coming much easier every time. 

She was about to reach the point of that day’s events when she suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion as well as everybody’s warm smiles and happy faces. No one was judging or questioning her. Her family and her heroes saw her as a real girl! It was all too much! Before she knew it, her story was interrupted by more happy tears.

Diana put a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder but did nothing to rush her through her emotions. It was all healthy and good for her. 

After a moment, Donna broke the silence with a question to her girlfriend “Hey wait… If Lara is going to be Supergirl, what does that make you, Starshine?”

Kara gave a little laugh, “Well I was going to wait a little longer to tell you, but since you asked, I’m happily giving up the mantle to Lara. She will make good use of the name Supergirl, I am sure.” She winked at Lara as she said this, making the young girl blush and smile.

“When Lara has made her big debut, I’ll be reintroducing myself to the world as…” Kara paused for dramatic effect, “Power Girl.”

“Power Girl? I like it.” Diana nodded her approval, “But just out of curiosity, why not Superwoman?”

Kara shrugged. “Well… Yeah I did think of that at first, but I don’t want to always be joined at the hip with my cousin. Don’t get me wrong, Clark’s great and all, but I want to stand on my own. Have the world know me in my own right, as Power Girl!”

“I love it!” Donna said, kissing Kara on the cheek, “I guess that explains the new haircut and wanting to try a new costume. You wanted to reinvent yourself.”

“Yep!... and you’re sure you like the hair, right sweetie?” Kara put a hand to the back of her head, feeling how short it had been sheared off. 

“Kara, for the one-hundredth time, of course I love it!” Donna brushed a stray hair out of her girlfriend’s face. “Besides, as long as it’s on you, I’d love your hair anyway you like it!”

“Aww, c’mere you!” laughed Kara. She put her arm around Donna’s waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

“Kara!” giggled Lara, averting her eyes from the PDA going on before her. “You two are worse than my mom and dad!”

After Kara and Donna had finished their little display of affection, Lara continued with the last of her story. As she spoke, Diana listened with a warm smile, while Kara braided Lara’s hair and Donna made her a flower crown. It was heaven.

Soon enough, Lara had two pretty little braids looping over her ears, along with a ring of orchids around her head. 

“Wow! Having fun, sweetheart?” said a voice from the entrance.

Lara turned and saw her father standing by the gateway that led into the botanical wing. Batman stood beside him, his black suit in stark contrast to the colourful surroundings of the garden

“Hi Dad!” said Lara, cheerfully, as she flew over to meet him. “Do you like my hair?”

“You look beautiful, sweetie!” Clark smiled. “Lara, I’ve got some good news for you. Tell her, Bruce!”

Lara looked up at the Dark Knight, who then knelt down and removed his cowl so that Lara was now staring into the face of Bruce Wayne. 

“Clark told me that you spoke with Dr. Victoria October today, about you starting your transition.” Bruce spoke, in a formal and straightforward manner, but it was sincere in it’s own way. “I thought you’d like to know that Wayne Enterprises will be funding Victoria’s research project. Anything she needs, staff, equipment, we’ll provide it.”

The little girl was stunned into silence before jumping up and hugging him tight “Thanks Uncle Bruce! Thank you so much! I can’t believe it! Everyone’s been so…” It was then, in her most recent surge of euphoria, Lara noticed that someone was missing. “Wait… Where’s Damian?”

Clark looked as if just realizing the child was gone but Bruce wasn’t surprised. “He said he’d be in the training room. Something about making a phone call to Colin...”

“Oh no… I’ll be right back everyone!” Lara didn’t want to leave this happy get-together, but she was suddenly quite worried about Damian. As she flew off and navigated the halls, she began to panic just a little. Damian was her best friend, but he was the only one that hadn’t said anything about her being a girl. She was beginning to worry that he might not accept her. Or worse…

She arrived at the training room and found the space littered with destroyed combat droids, each having been smashed, slashed or crushed. At the far side of the room, Damian sat on the large window sill, his back to the door. 

Lara hesitated before entering. The combat droids were built to be destroyed, and could be easily repaired by the League’s many tech experts. But Damian only ever fought like this when he was frustrated at either something or someone.

Lara floated quietly above the wreckage and approached the young Robin. “Umm… Hey, Damian!” mumbled Lara, awkwardly.

Damian didn’t say anything, or even turn around. Although Lara noticed his eyes, reflected in the window, briefly darting in her direction before swiveling back down to avoid eye-contact.

“I’m sorry, Damian.” Lara sighed, sitting down next to him. “I know this is kind of a surprise to you. I actually wanted to tell you the other night. But things just got so confusing, I couldn’t…”

Even as Lara trailed off, Damian remained silent. Lara started to feel annoyed. Why was Damian acting so distant? He had been the one who had introduced her to the concept of wearing girl clothes. He even had a trans boyfriend, so it wasn’t like he was bigoted. Surely, he should’ve been as accepting as everybody else, right?

“I thought you’d understand!” Lara said, standing up. “The other night, you and Colin opened up my eyes and helped me to see that I’m a girl. Why are you being so weird about it now?! I’d hoped you’d support me!” She was starting to worry. She didn’t want to lose her best friend over this.

Damian shut his eyes tightly, as if he was trying to shut Lara out.

“Well, fine!” sniffed Lara, her voice shaking as more tears began to form, only these weren’t happy tears. “If you’re gonna be like that, I’ll leave you to thit up here and thulk!” Great. Now her lisp was acting up.

Then, just as the young Supergirl was about to turn and leave, Damian suddenly stood up, spun around and pulled Lara into a tight hug, catching her completely off-guard.

“Lara, You have nothing to apologise for!” said Damian (Lara could swear his voice was shaking.) “Of course, I support you completely! You’re my friend and I’m proud of you!”

Lara felt a sudden mixture of relief and confusion as Damian hugged her. She had never seen him act like this before. “Damian!” She laughed nervously. “What’s gotten into you?!”

Damian let go of Lara and rubbed his temples. “Forgive me.” he said. “I just have two major things bothering me right now…”

“What do you mean?” asked Lara.

“Well, firstly,” Damian sighed, “How did I not see this coming?!” He gestured to Lara. “There were so many signs! The ballet, your immediate kinship with Colin, the freaking tutu! Not to mention your insistence on using a new name.” He started pacing back and forth in annoyance. “I trust Colin already knows? It would explain why he was acting so smug and coy that night.”

“Damian!” said Lara, grabbing his shoulder, “It’s ok! You had no reason to know I was a girl. I only realised it myself that night!” She had to fight the urge to laugh, both at Damian’s dramatic behavior, and with relief at the news that her friend didn’t hate her.

“But I’m the son of Batman; the World’s Greatest Detective!” exclaimed Damian. “Surely I should’ve been able to…” He trailed off when he noticed Lara smirking. He heaved a reluctant sigh. “Okay, fine. Maybe I’m being a little dramatic…”

“Ya think?” laughed Lara, then she paused. “Wait. You said you had two things bothering you. What was the other one?”

“Well… I…” He paused as if trying to think how best to stay what was on his mind. He clenched his fists before finally blurting out “That outfit is TERRIBLE, Lara! The sweater is so baggy, and is that a Kmart skirt?! You are such a pretty girl! How can you stand wearing something so tacky!”

Lara wasn’t sure to burst out laughing or be furious with her friend, “Hey! Be nice! Kara bought this for me!”

Damian took a deep breath, calming himself down now that he had had a chance to vent, “I… I’m sorry Lara. It’s… Very nice. Especially for a first attempt… But I am definitely taking you clothes shopping as soon as possible.”

“Wait, what?” muttered Lara.

“No, no! I insist!” said Damian, proudly. “As your best friend, and as a fashion icon, I simply cannot allow the daughter of Superman to wear such mediocre apparel. It’s no trouble for me. Baba can get us discounts at Gotham’s finest high-end fashion stores, and my Mama knows some incredible dressmakers who would be happy to…”

Damian’s speech was suddenly interrupted by Lara flying straight into him and spinning him around in an ecstatic hug. 

“THANK YOU, DAMIAN!!!” Squealed Lara. “Oh my god! You’re the best! Thanks!” 

“Lara...! Choking…!” croaked Damian.

“Oh, right!” said Lara, sheepishly, as she let go of Damian. “Sorry. I’m just really excited about all the new stuff I’m gonna get to try. Shopping for dresses and makeup! It’s gonna be great!”

Damian smirked at her. “I look forward to it, Lara. Maybe we could also continue your ballet lessons? Now that I see you’ve discovered your flying abilities, that could give you an advantage as a ballerina.”

Lara grinned, excitedly. “That would be amazing! C’mon! We can ask my dad and your dad about me coming over this weekend!” 

Lara giggled happily, as she flew off down the corridor, with her best friend, Damian, running alongside her.  
________________________________________________________________

About 10 minutes later, Lara was back in the botanical wing with her father, along with Diana, Donna and Kara. Damian and his father had headed back to Gotham a few minutes ago, but not before Bruce and Clark had agreed to let Lara come and stay for the following weekend, so that she could spend some time with Damian and Colin.

After Batman and Robin had left, Diana had repeated her offer to let Lara come and visit Themyscira. Much to Lara’s delight, Clark thought it sounded like a great idea, and promised that they would talk to Lois about it. After all, spring break was only a few weeks away.

Kara and Donna headed back to the Holo-Sim room, so that Kara could try out some new looks for her Power Girl costume, leaving Lara and Clark to say their goodbyes to Diana.

Right as they were about to head back to Metropolis, Lara suddenly remembered the entire reason she had come to the Watchtower in the first place. “Oh, wait a minute!” she said, suddenly. “Diana, could I borrow your lasso for a minute?”

Diana smiled. “Of course, dear! Your father already explained the situation to me while you were talking to Robin. I would be honoured to help you.”

Diana held up the Lasso of Truth, which she kept hooked onto her belt. “First, I just want to confirm that you’re comfortable with doing this, Lara. Is this something you want to do?”

Lara nodded. “Yes!” she said, with all the confidence that she could muster. “I’m ready!”

Diana smiled, and unraveled her golden lasso as it began to glow. “Hold out your hand, Lara” she said. “Don’t worry. The Lasso of Truth is painless to those who are honest.”

Lara held the end of the lasso in her hand and felt a strange sensation wash over her. The lasso felt incredibly warm, as if it had been sitting in the sunlight for hours, and it made Lara feel… relaxed?

It was hard to describe how she felt when she held the lasso, but it made her feel like she could tell Diana anything she wanted. As if Diana could be trusted with all her secrets.

“Lara? How do you feel?” said Diana, who knelt before her, still holding the other end of the lasso.

“I… I feel calm. Safe.” Lara said with a gentle smile on her face.

“Alright then.” Diana nodded and turned to face Clark, “You said we need to record this for Dr. October, correct? Do you want to film this?”

“Sure thing, Diana.” Clark took out his phone and began recording.

“Very well then,” said Diana, “The Lasso compels you to tell the truth. We’ll start with some basic questions. Who are you?”

Lara spoke automatically without even noticing. “My name is Lara Ella Kent. I am the new Supergirl. My dad is Clark Kent, or sometimes Superman, and my mom is Lois Lane, and I am their daughter!”

Whoa! She had said all of that with no hesitation and with such confidence. It was as if the lasso had purged all of the uncertainty and dishonesty from her body. It didn’t just stop her from lying to other people. It stopped her from lying to herself!

“Wonderful!” said Diana. “Do you want to expand on that last part?”

“Yes!” said Lara, who was thrilled at how amazing it felt to be so incredibly honest with herself. “For a long time, I thought I was a boy but it never felt right. Even when I started to get my powers, I still felt weird. But then I met a boy named Colin and he told me that people used to think he was a girl, but he knew that he was a boy!” Lara paused briefly to catch her breath, before continuing with her speech. “Anyway, Colin said he was trans, and that helped me realise that I’m trans too. I now know, deep down inside of me, I’m a girl and it feels amazing! I also wanna become the new Supergirl right now! I wanna be a real superheroine, so I can let everyone know I’m a trans girl and that I’m proud!”

Lara let go of the lasso as her hands covered her mouth.She blushed as she realised that, maybe, things had gone a little out of control. 

Lara had always been somewhat excited for the day when she would enter the family business of superhero work. But there had always been something holding her back, which she had since realised was her dysphoric fear of becoming Superboy, instead of Supergirl. Now that she knew who she was, and had been accepted by her family and friends, those fears no longer held her back. Plus, now that she could fly, and had pretty good control over her super strength, she felt ready to take up the Supergirl mantle. The lasso had helped her to see this.

Lara looked up to see Diana and Clark beaming with pride. Clark knelt down to his daughter’s level, “I’m so proud of you Lara.” He said, calmly. “But are you sure you’re ready to become Supergirl? It would be a big step coming out to the world so soon after all of us.”

Lara’s mind was racing. It was as if the lasso had kicked her brain into high-gear, and she was now formulating plans for how she was going to come out as Supergirl.

“I’m ready…” she said, “...to become Supergirl. But I’m gonna wait a while before I come out normally. As Lara, I mean. At school and stuff.”

“Well, Lara,” said Diana, proudly. “I, for one, would welcome your sisterhood in the fight against injustice. If your parents approve, then I would be happy to guide you on your path to becoming a hero.”

Lara felt so happy that she began to hover a few inches off the ground. She gazed up at her father. “Please, daddy!” She said, giving Clark her best puppy-dog-eyes. “Damian gets to be Robin with his dad, and they don’t even have powers. Can I at least be like... a hero-in-training?”

Clark paused for a moment, before kneeling down and taking Lara’s hands in his. “Oh, how could I possibly say no to a face like that?” He smiled at his daughter's overjoyed expression. “Alright sweetie! We’ll give it a few days to get everything ready. Then we can arrange a press conference.”

Clark’s face lit up even more as a sudden thought occurred to him. “Say! That should actually work out pretty well! Kara’s probably going to want to announce her new role as Power Girl soon. I’m sure we can arrange something for the two of you.”

“Hestia bless you both!” Diana cheered. “The world will be happy to know, there’s a new Supergirl in town!”

Lara was practically vibrating with happiness. She was going to finally get to be a hero! And not just any hero... She was going to be fighting alongside her dad, as the one and only Supergirl! 

Could life get any better than this?


	9. Fashion Show!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically some cute fluffy filler with our main three kids. Enjoy!  
> Regular plot will resume in the next chapter.

The next few days were a blur for Lara. She was so excited for her debut that she spent most of her time dancing around the apartment, rehearsing speeches and trying on new clothes that Lois bought for her. In the past few days, Lara had been gifted various skirts, blouses, sweaters, leggings and, best of all, a pretty sky-blue spring dress which Lara loved to twirl in. It made her feel like a real princess!

Outside of all this, however, Lara soon noticed that not a whole lot else had changed. She still enjoyed the same old cartoons, comic books and video games, as well as watching real-life superheroes on the news. Only now, she enjoyed them as a girl, which felt so much better.

On Friday afternoon, Lara had just finished a video-call with Martha, who had been working on Lara’s Supergirl outfit. Lara was feeling very positive after her Grandma had informed her that the outfit would be ready for her big debut the next day. 

Just as Lara closed her laptop, there was a knock at her bedroom door, followed by a familiar voice. “Hey, Lara! It’s Colin. Can I come in?”

Lara leapt up in the air and floated over to the door, briefly checking herself in the mirror on her way. She was wearing her red skirt, along with a Wonder Woman-themed t-shirt, that Lois had bought her. She appreciated that she could now look girly, even when dressed casual.

Lara opened the door and smiled when she saw the tall red-haired boy standing in the doorway. Even though it had been less than a week since she had last seen him, It felt like much longer.

“Colin!” said Lara, giving him a quick hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Damian told me everything.” explained Colin. “I’m so happy for you, Lara. Good name choice, by the way. I hear you’re gonna be the new Supergirl too. That’s amazing!”

“Everything’s been so amazing!” said Lara. “I’m glad you’re here. I just wanna say… You helped me realise who I am. I just…” She pulled the tall boy into another hug. “Thank you!”

Colin smiled. “You’re welcome, but I barely did anything. This was all you, Lara!” He looked into her eyes. “You’re a beautiful girl, and you’re going to be an amazing Supergirl!”

Suddenly, a voice called out from the living room. “LARA! COLIN! ARE YOU TWO COMING, OR WHAT!?” There was no mistaking that accent and condescending tone.

“Damian’s here too?” said Lara.

“Oh, yeah…” said Colin, who’s cheeks were a little red. “We actually came here to give you something. Come on, best not keep him waiting.”

Lara followed Colin into the living room, where Damian was sitting on the sofa. Lois had evidently provided the kids with refreshments as there were two juice boxes on the coffee table, and Damian was holding a third, as if it were a glass of fine wine. Lara couldn’t help but notice a large cardboard box on the floor next to the sofa, bearing the Wayne Enterprises logo. It was so large, that Lara imagined that it must have taken both Colin and Damian to carry it into the apartment.

Lara suddenly felt very excited. She had been receiving new girl clothes all week, but had yet to receive any from her best friend, despite his promise to buy her some fancy new clothes. 

This wasn’t the only reason why Lara was excited. Damian actually happened to be quite involved in the fashion industry. Wayne Enterprises had its own clothing brand which Damian and his siblings were the unofficial faces of. The youngest Wayne brother clearly loved the attention and had appeared at least once on the cover of Teen Vogue. 

Lara had spent a lot of time over the past few days, researching her friends various escapades into the world of fashion. She had been delighted to discover that Damian had promoted the idea of breaking down gender roles by wearing designer dresses and skirts as well as the expected hoodies and jeans.

“Hi, Damian!” said Lara, trying not to get too excited, imagining what her friends had brought her. “What’s with the box?”

“Straight to business! That’s the spirit!” said Damian, springing to his feet. “Well, Lara. You may recall my promise to take you shopping at some of Gotham’s most exquisite boutiques? Well, it occurred to me that you may not wish to go out in public as Lara just yet. Am I correct?”

Lara rubbed the back of her neck. While she was planning to make her debut as Supergirl, the next day, she wasn't sure if she was ready for the world to meet mild-mannered citizen, Lara Kent. “Yeah, you're probably right.” she said sheepishly.

“Fear not!” said Damian, “For I have devised a brilliant solution to this problem” He patted the top of the box. “I have brought the boutique to you!” 

Lara let out a little squee and rushed forward to hug her best friend tight. “You’re the best, Damian!”

The heir winced as she knocked the wind out of him but he still smiled and hugged her back. “It’s no problem Lara. I bought enough for all three of us, so you get to be pretty, Colin gets to be more handsome than usual, and I get to be both!”

Colin blushed almost as red as his hair and helped Lara open the box. The little girl felt her heart flutter happily seeing all the wonderful things inside! What looked like an entire cataloug’s worth of beautiful dresses, skirts, tops, jeans and other outfits, each complete with makeup kits and accessories! 

Lara began to float off the ground with happiness. “Oh Damian, this is wonderful! It’s all too much!”

She paused in thought, struck by something as she looked at the clothes. There were only a few boy’s clothes in the box, and Damian had just suggested that he was going to wear girls clothes too. She remembered Damian wearing the ballerina outfit, as well as him mentioning that he had worn girls clothes several times in the past.

“Hey Dami.” Lara said, not sure how best to phrase the question. “I should have asked this before but… are you a girl too?”

Damian raised an eyebrow. “Hmm? Oh, no!” He didn’t seem too surprised by the question, “I see myself as male. I just like dresses and skirts because they look good on me. Plus, they remind me of the thobes I get to wear when visiting my mama.”

“So, you’re still a boy? Even if… So what if I…” Lara trailed off as the doubt hit her.

“Lara stop.” Colin put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “There is a world of difference between girls like you and boys like Damian. You know you are a girl and that doesn’t change if you’re in a dress or jeans.”

She took a calming breath and smiled at her friends “Thanks Colin. I needed to hear that.”

“So!” said Damian, rubbing his hands together. “What do you want to try first? I’d recommend something simple. Maybe a summer dress?”

That gave Lara an idea. “Oohh! Wait a minute!” she said, before flying down the hall, back into her room. “I’ll be one minute!” She called.

Colin and Damian exchanged a brief look of bemusement. But then, sure enough, a moment later, Lara reappeared. She had swapped her top-and-skirt combo for her new sky-blue summer dress, which she showed off by twirling in mid-air with her arms out. “Tada!” she cheered, “What d’ ya think?”

Colin started clapping, while Damian smiled and gave a small nod of approval, which was his equivalent of a round of applause. “Not bad, Kent!” he remarked, “It has a certain, simple charm to it. I suppose not all of Kmart’s apparel is terrible.” He began rummaging around in the box. “But there’s always room for improvement. Let’s try a matching sunhat, sandals, maybe some bracelets, makeup…”

Suddenly, Lara froze when she saw her mother enter the living room from the kitchen, accompanied by someone else! It was the Waynes’ butler, Alfred Pennyworth! Lara felt panic shoot through her. Did Alfred know about her being trans? Would Damian or Uncle Bruce have told him anything?

Alfred looked up and smiled. “Ah, Good afternoon, Miss Kent! I hope you are well.”

Lara blinked, perplexed by the butler's lack of surprise.

“My apologies!” said Alfred. “I should probably explain. I’m afraid I was unintentionally eavesdropping on your big moment with the Justice League, the other day. I was listening in via Master Bruce’s comms unit when you made your entrance. Once again, I am very sorry for eavesdropping.”

Lois smirked. “He’s just spent the last 5 minutes apologizing to me in the kitchen.”

Lara smiled, relieved that she had been spared an awkward encounter with Batman’s butler. “It’s okay, Mr. Pennyworth. I’m glad you’re ok with me being a girl. Thanks.”

Alfred gave a small nod of approval, before turning to Damian. “Master Damian. How long do you wish to stay here? Your father may wish to know.”

Damian, Colin and Lara all exchanged a look. They were all apparently thinking the same thing.

“Mom?” said Lara, “Can Colin and Damian stay for the night?”

Lois and Alfred exchanged a look of their own, before Lois chuckled to herself, “I knew this was gonna happen sooner or later. My daughter is already asking if she can invite boys over.”

It took Lara a few seconds to realise what Lois was implying. “What? Ewww, Mom! It’s not like that!” she said, crossly. “Colin and Damian are my friends!”

“Yeah!” said Damian, “My Habibi and I don’t even like girls!” He turned to Lara. “No offence.”

Lara wasn’t offended. She knew what Damian had meant.

“Kids! Relax, I’m only kidding!” laughed Lois. “Of course, sweetie. As long as their parents say it’s ok, you can have a slumber party tonight.”

“Whoo!” cheered Colin, “Thanks, Miss Lane! Uhh… I mean, Mrs Kent.” He smiled awkwardly.

Lois grinned. “Don’t worry Colin. You can just call me “Lois”. By the way, how are your moms doing?”

“They’re good! Thanks for asking” smiled Colin. “I’ll call them now and ask if I can stay the night. They should be cool with it.”

“And I’ll phone Baba. Let him know what I’m doing.” added Damian. “I’m sure Cass and Harper can fill in for me on patrol tonight.”

“And while you guys are doing that…” said Lara, gleefully, as she moved towards the boutique box, “I’ll be trying out some new looks!  
________________________________________________________________

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, Lara, Damian and Colin spent their time dressing, posing, laughing and generally having fun with their own mini fashion show. Lois and Alfred kept providing a steady supply of drinks and snacks, while also applauding and complimenting every outfit.

To begin with, Lara tried some simple-but-pretty sandals and a summer hat to match her dress. Damian then helped her apply some simple make-up to finish the look. 

Damian also looked amazing in his own make-up, along with a flashy green dress and high-heels. Walking in these had proven difficult for Lara when she tried them on, so she made a mental note to ask Damin to teach her.

Colin's outfit had only taken him a few minutes to put together, but he still looked very strapping. He wore a white button-up shirt, along with black pants and suspenders. This, combined with a brown newsboy cap, made him look like a street urchin from and old-timey movie (though he still wore his sneakers, insisting they were essential to the look he was going for.)

After a while, Alfred needed to head back to Gotham, which meant the kids were down an audience member. Despite this, they felt compelled to try out some more outfits.   
________________________________________________________________

When Lois called the kids into the kitchen for dinner, she was greeted by Colin, who was now wearing a fancy red button-up shirt and black pants, along with a black bow-tie and waistcoat, plus his usual sneakers. The red-haired boy cleared his throat and gestured to the two figures behind him, as if he were presenting them at a royal ball. 

Lois couldn’t help smiling warmley when she saw Lara and Damian enter. They now both wore matching princess dresses, along with necklaces, make-up and nail polish. Lara’s dress was a bright blue, similar to her Supergirl outfit, and Damian’s was green, to match his eyes.

“Oh, sweetheart!” said Lois, beaming with pride. “You look beautiful!”

Lara blushed. “Thanks, Mom!” She attempted a little curtsy, though seeing how this was her first time wearing a dress like this, she wasn’t sure if she did it right.

“You boys look nice too.” Lois said, looking at Colin and Damian. “C’mon. Let me take some photos.”

After the kids had posed for a number of shots, including one of Colin carrying Damian bridal-style (Lara assumed he used a little bit of his Goliath-strength), Lois sat them down at the table.

As she looked around the table, Lara counted three plates of homemade mac‘n’cheese. “Mom?” she asked, “Aren’t you gonna eat with us?”

“Don’t worry, baby!” said Lois, grinning mischievously, “I already had a bite to eat.” She strode over to the door and looked back at the table. “You kids eat up! I’ll be in my room. Knock if you need anything.” Then she turned and left.

Lara, Colin and Damian all exchanged a perplexed look. 

“Uuhh, Lara?” said Colin. “No offence, but does your mom normally act this weird?”

“No?” Lara replied. “We normally eat dinner together, especially when my dad works late.” She chewed her food as she thought out loud. “What could she be doing that’s so important?”

The three kids sat in the kitchen eating silently for about a minute before Damian suddenly sat upright. “Oh!” he said. “Oh! I know what she’s doing!” Lara and Colin stared at him, expecting him to continue. But Damian kept eating, albeit with a sly grin on his face.

“Aren’t you going to enlighten us, Dami?” asked Colin.

“Tt! All in good time, Beloved!” replied Damian. “For now, I’d suggest we eat quickly! By my estimates, we should have about 30 minutes before Lois returns, and I have just the outfits in mind to meet her challenge!”

“Challenge?” said Lara and Colin, together. Then, they both realised what Damian meant.

Lara grinned and began wolfing down her dinner. She wanted to get back to the boutique box as soon as possible. She had a pretty good idea what her mother was planning. Lois was apparently going to do some dressing-up of her own, and Damian wasn’t going to let himself be outshone.

As for Lara, well, she was just excited to have an excuse to try out more pretty dresses.  
________________________________________________________________

After finishing dinner, the kids prepared themselves for the next and final round of dressing-up. As Damian helped Lara get her makeup ready, Colin examined the outfits that Damian had selected for them. 

For Colin, he had selected a flamboyant blue suit with frilly cuffs, that would not have looked out of place being worn by a handsome prince in a Disney movie.

Damian had chosen to wear a sparkling-green dress, along with matching long gloves and a tiara.

Finally, Lara’s latest dress was a beautiful deep-blue ballgown, with a wide poofy skirt and matching long gloves and a tiara, similar to Damian’s. 

Colin seemed somewhat apprehensive about his final overly-showy outfit. “Maybe... I’ll sit this round out and help Lois with the dishes…” He tried to slowly sneak out of the room but was blocked by a beautifully made up Damian.

“Oh don’t be like that, Habibi! You will look amazing!”

Colin blushed. “I’m sure I would, hun... It’s just… Is the lace and the… little scarf thing necessary?”

Damian smiled. A comment like that from anyone other than Colin or maybe Lara would have gotten a ‘Tt!’ and a glare, “It’s called an ascot, beloved.”

Colin sighed. There was no use arguing with Damian when it came to fashion. “Okay, I’ll wear it, on one condition…”

Damian frowned slightly. “You are NOT wearing your sneakers with this outfit!”

“Of course not!” laughed Colin. “I was just thinking, if you two get to be princesses…”

“Technically, I am a prince! I just look good in a dress.” interrupted Damian. “But, please continue.”

“Right.” smiled Colin. “I’m just saying, if you get to be “Beauty”, then surely, I should be “The Beast”.”

Lara didn’t exactly get what that meant, but Damian was smiling even wider, “Oh that’s a wonderful idea, Beloved! I was going for a Beast aesthetic with this outfit after all, but are you sure you’re ok doing that here?”

“Sure!” Colin glanced at the small windows with the blinds down, “I mean Lois, Lara and Mister Kent all know my secret so it shouldn’t surprise them.”

“Uuhh, I might be thurprised!” Lara cut in genuinely confused. “Because I don’t know what you’re talking about. What are you planning to do?”

“Well Lara, you know how I transform into Goliath?” Colin explained. “Well, with time and practice I found out I can also transform part-way. I can do stuff like give myself wings, or claws without going full dragon-bat.” 

“But he mostly uses this trick to make himself taller or experiment with body hair.” interjected Damian.

“Dami!” Colin blushed hard with his secret revealed.

“Oh it’s nothing to be embarrassed by, Habibi. It all looks great on you.” Damian said, kissing the blushing redhead on his cheek.

Colin smiled, “He is right, though.” he admitted. “I do use my powers sometimes if I’m feeling dysphoric. Being able to grow extra muscle-mass and body hair is really helpful, and I only sometimes accidentally grow fangs or a tail.” 

“I bet that’s useful.” said Lara. Of course, she hadn’t experienced much, if any dysphoria since coming out to her family, but if she could focus and make herself more feminine at will, then heck yeah, she would do it all the time.

As Colin headed into the bathroom to change, Lara grabbed her outfit and headed into her room, while Damian stayed in the living room. Once Lara was in her room, she started getting changed. She kept her back to the mirror while she did this, not wanting to see herself until she was wearing the full outfit. Once she had put on the gown, gloves and tiara, Lara turned around, looked in the mirror and gasped. 

She looked amazing! The dress looked beautiful, and she loved how the skirt bloomed outwards all the way down to her feet. The makeup, gloves and tiara, along with a pretty pink necklace that Damian had lent her, all complimented the outfit perfectly. She spun and twirled, admiring herself from every possible angle. She even practiced her curtsy, in the mirror. The euphoria felt amazing! Lara had never felt more like a princess.

Eventually, Lara made her way back to the living room, where she saw Damian, admiring himself in the mirror. Lara’s first thought was that, if Damian had longer hair, he would have looked like a miniature version of his mother, Talia. Damian definitely took after her a lot, both in terms of personality and appearance.

“Wow, Damian!” said Lara, “You look...”

“Amazing?” suggested Damian, still admiring himself. “Stunning? Revolutionary to the world of fashion? Tt! I know. I’ve heard it before!” He continued to look in the mirror, trying out different poses. “Oh yeah! I pull this off way better than Tim!” he said to himself.

“Wait, what?” said Lara, as Damian finally turned around to look at her.

“Ah, Lara!” he said, as if he’d only just noticed her. “You look lovely! You should wear that to one of my Baba’s galas. I could invite you to the next one, if you’d like.”

Lara briefly pictured herself wandering around Wayne Manor in her ballgown, socialising with the younger side of high society. She felt herself blushing as she thought of a handsome young man complimenting her and asking her to a dance. 

Whoa! That was something different! Before coming out, Lara had never given much thought to the idea of romance. She knew it might change as she got older, and thanks to her growing up surrounded by open-minded and accepting friends and family, she knew it would be fine for her to like boys, girls or both. The more Lara thought about it, the more she realised that, since coming out, the idea of being in a relationship felt a lot more appealing.

Putting these new realizations to one side, Lara instead focused on what Damian had said about his brother. “Uh, maybe… What was that about Tim?”

“Oh, that?” said Damian, “It’s just a thing between us. You remember how I told you how my brothers have also dabbled with feminine clothes? Well, for some reason, Drake is the only one who seems convinced that he can do it better than me!”

“What?” said Lara.

“I know!” said Damian. “It’s completely absurd! Sure, he tries harder than Todd and he’s not as ostentatious as Grayson, but he’s no way near my level!”

“We’re talking about Tim Drake, right?” said Lara, “As in, the same Tim Drake who’s dating my brother?”

“Of course!” said Damian, “What? You didn’t know? He’s always showing us his cosplay photos that he takes with Conner and Stephanie. He nearly always goes as the girl.” 

Lara made a mental note to ask Conner about this the next time they met. She knew that her brother often went to ComicCon with his boyfriend and girlfriend, but she had never seen any photos.

Just then, a tall figure emerged from the hallway wearing a fancy blue suit. Lara looked up and gasped. “Colin?!”

Colin appeared to be a lot bulkier than he usually was, and was covered in patches of red fur. He had a severe 5o’clock shadow that covered his entire face and his ears had grown much larger and pointier. When he smiled, Lara noticed a small fangs had formed in his mouth. He was barefoot, revealing that his hands and feet had almost completely transformed into claws. Finally, Lara noticed that Colin had a short tail sticking out of his pants.

“Be honest...” said Colin, his voice sounding somewhat deeper than usual. “How do I look?”

Before Lara could say a word, Damian was by his boyfriend’s side, holding both of his furry, clawed hands in his own. “Beloved, you look absolutely amazing!” said Damian. “Though, I must admit… In the movie you showed me, the Beast had his fur combed and curled. Perhaps, you’d let me…”

Colin smiled, and kissed Damian’s hands. “I love you, Damian.” he chuckled, “But I am not letting you put a bow in my fur.”

Damian sighed, but then smiled up at his boyfriend. “I love you too, Habibi” he said, “But you’ll have to forgive me for not kissing you right now. I’ve seen what those fangs can do.”

Seeing the two boys being all romantic, made Lara think, once again, about her potential for a romantic relationship. She was still too young to imagine anything beyond kissing and holding hands, but still… No. She didn’t want to think about that. She was having a wonderful time and didn’t want to risk spoiling it by having some kind of crisis.

“You look great, Colin!” she said, trying to shift the topic away from romance.

“Thanks, Lara!” said Colin, “But, let’s face it... we all look amazing!”

“Yes, we do!” Damian said, with utmost confidence. “I’d like to see Lois beat this!”

“Be careful what you wish for…” said a voice behind them. The kids turned around and each of their jaws dropped at once.

Lois was standing in the doorway, looking absolutely breathtaking. She was wearing a gorgeous scarlett strapless ballgown, with matching long gloves. Around her neck, she wore a beautiful sapphire necklace. Her hair hung loose and seemed bouncy and luscious. Lara made a mental note to find out what hair products her mom used.

As Lois entered the room, she smiled at the kids, and Lara noticed how well made-up her mom was. It wasn’t the first time she had seen Lois wear makeup, but since Lara had started wearing it herself, she had gained a newfound admiration for it.

Lois’s lips were ruby red, and she wore a light blush on her cheeks. Her eyes shone through a subtle mascara, purple eyeshadow and some of the best eyeliner wings Lara had seen since she came out.

“Wow…” breathed Lara. “Mom… You look amazing!”

“Thank you, sweetie.” Lois said, bending down so that she was at eye-level with Lara. “You look amazing too! Though, that’s not really a surprise…” She held Lara’s hands in her own. “After all, you’re my daughter, and what’s a queen without her princess?”

Lara blushed and smiled, feeling a euphoria that threatened to make her float off the ground. 

“Where did you get that dress?!” Damian cut in, staring at Lois with disbelief “It is perfect!”

Lois chuckled at the small diva’s shocked face. “As a matter of fact, Damian, It was a gift from your father.”

“What?!” All three kids exclaimed together, making Lois laugh.

“It’s true!” Lois explained. “Last year, on mine and Clark’s anniversary, Bruce bought me this dress, as well as a custom designed tuxedo for Clark. They’re both amazing outfits, but we don’t get many chances to wear them. However, I figured this was a perfect chance.”

Lois gracefully sat herself down on the sofa, and Lara came and snuggled up next to her. As the two pretty ladies sat there together, smiling in their beautiful dresses, it became clear who had won the fashion contest.

Damian seemed crushed by his unexpected defeat, “But… I’m supposed to be the fashionista here… I can’t believe it! Baba betrayed me!”

Colin sighed and smiled softly, hurrying over to cuddle his tiny diva boyfriend to his chest, “It’s ok, hun!” He said softly, trying his best not to laugh at the drama queen, “You will always be my fashionista, Dami.”

Mother and daughter both “Aawwwed!” in unison, as the redhead comforted his tiny boyfriend. Then Lois turned to Lara and whispered the question she had been dying to ask since she had entered the room: “So… has Colin always been a werewolf?”  
________________________________________________________________

Clark Kent was in for a surprise when he got home that night. As he made his way to the apartment, he could hear what sounded like “Beauty & the Beast” playing on the TV. Lois had called him earlier to say that Damian and Colin had come over to stay the night, so he didn’t quite know what to expect. Hearing the Disney movie playing was unexpected; Clark had never figured Damian to be a Disney fan. Then again, the kid was rather unpredictable, so he kind of knew to expect the unexpected.

“Lois, I’m home!” He called, loosening his tie and hanging up his coat as he made his way inside. He froze where he stood as his wife, more beautiful than ever, came into the hall to greet him.

“Hi, honey. How was your day?” She asked casually, trying her best to not feel smug about the expression on her husband’s face, as she walked slowly towards him.

“Lois… you look amazing! You never wear that dress! What’s the occasion?” He managed to ask once he picked his jaw off the floor.

She chuckled and kissed her man on the lips, “Just a little game with the kids. Damian brought over a few outfits for Lara, so I figured I’d join the dress up.”

“Dress up?” Clark asked quizzically. “What kind of outfits?” He got his answer when he walked into the living room and was greeted by his daughter running up to greet him.

“Hi Daddy!” said Lara, trying to sound as princessy as possible, “Do you like my new dress?”

“Wow!” said Clark, beaming with fatherly pride at his daughter, as she spun around to show off her gown. “You look beautiful, sweetheart! Did Damian buy you that?”

“Yep!” said Lara, who felt so happy that she began floating a few feet in the air. “Him and Colin are in the other room. We’re watching “Beauty & the Beast”! It’s great! Come and see!” She began tugging on her dad’s arm, pulling him into the living room, while Lois watched them and smiled.

His brain was forced into another reboot as his thoughts went from fatherly pride, to sheer surprise and confusion. Sitting in his favorite armchair, snuggling together as they watched the movie was… what looked like a bear, in a victorian suit and Damian Wayne in a sparkly princess dress. 

Growing used to surprises of this sort in the last couple of days, Clark recovered faster than normal. “Damian, and Colin… I assume?” He said nodding to the pair. He paused as if trying to find the best thing to say and finally settled for, “Maybe it’s just because you’re Bruce’s son, but it always surprises me how well you can pull off looks like that, Damian.”

Damian smiled, enjoying the compliment but still couldn’t help but be a little salty. “Tt! Of course I can pull it off. I’m also the son of Talia al Ghul!” He declared, proudly defending his mother’s legacy as a fashion icon. “Besides, Baba could surprise you.” He added, grinning slightly. “He actually has his own very nice collection of-”

Colin put a hand over Damian’s mouth to cut him off before he went on another fashion-ramble. “Thank you again for having us Mr. Kent.” Colin said, cheerfully.

By this point Lara had reentered the room with three sleeping bags as Lois came in behind her “Ok kids. Makeup off, and pajamas on.” said Lois. “You don’t have to go to sleep yet, you just need to be ready for it.” This earned a groan from Damian and Lara, neither wanting to take their dresses off yet.

“Come on kids.” Clark said, agreeing with his wife, “Lara, you have a very big day tomorrow. I want you well rested sweetie.”

“But dad! I’m too excited to sleep!” Lara said, bouncing from her seat on the sofa.

“Sleep is for the weak!” Damian said in agreement. “We’re doing an all night princess-movie-marathon!”

“Yeah! We fight crime in Gotham! We’re basically nocturnal!” Colin yelled, turning back to his human form and punching the air.  
________________________________________________________________

About 15 minutes into the second movie, all three of the kids were fast asleep in their sleeping bags. Lois and Clark smiled at each other, turning the TV off for the kids.

“Sleep tight, Lara.” Clark said softly, beaming with pride at his little girl, just as excited as her for her big moment the next day.


	10. Bon Voyage!

The next morning, after breakfast, Damian and Colin headed back to Gotham in a Wayne Enterprises limo, sent by Damian’s father. Damian took some of the boutique clothes back with him, though he still left Lara with a nice selection of fancy dresses, as well as some more casual (though still very fashionable) girl clothes. 

Lara waved as they left, though she would be seeing them again, later that night. It was a Saturday after all, she had another one of her weekly sessions with Damian that night. She wondered what they would be learning this week, as she had certainly made significant progress in the intervening days. Maybe Damian would teach her more ballet? Lara grinned at the thought.

However this wasn’t the main thought occupying Lara’s mind at that moment. After all, this was her big day. The day she had been waiting for for years: The day she made her debut as a Superhero. Granted, she was only going to be a sidekick to start off, but it was still unimaginably exciting for the young girl. Especially seeing how she would be appearing to the public as a girl! All of these thoughts and more were rushing through her head, as she got ready to leave with her father.

The night before, Clark had flown over to Kansas to pick up Lara’s Supergirl costume, which Martha had just finished. He had then flown it up to the Fortress of Solitude, at the North Pole, where it had spent the night being exposed to the energies radiated from various Kryptonian crystals. This would strengthen the material so that it wouldn’t be torn to shreds while Lara wore it on the job as a superhero.

Eventually, Lara and Clark were ready to leave. They were both wearing civilian clothes. Lara had thought about wearing some of her new girl clothes, but decided it would be better to wait a little before going out in public as Lara the civilian. Instead, she wore a fairly gender-neutral hoodie and jeans, along with her regular glasses and baseball cap, which she still liked to wear even as a girl.

After waving goodbye to Lois, the father-daughter duo made their way down to the street and headed for the nearby teleporter pod. Normally, when making a trip to the Fortress of Solitude, Clark would simply fly there. Being able to shoot through low-orbit at hypersonic speed meant that the Man of Steel could make it there in a matter of minutes. However, while Lara had shown some impressive flying skills recently, Clark wasn’t quite sure if she was ready to zoom into the stratosphere at Mach 10.

When they reached the phone booth that housed the pod, Clark smiled at his daughter as he picked the receiver. “Hey Lara,” he said, “I’ve got a surprise for you.” He then spoke into the receiver. “Superman - A01, Lara Kent - C01.”

Lara gave a little squeal of excitement. She was back in the “C” category! No longer would she need to be labeled as “miscellaneous”, or be forced to use her deadname when teleporting. It was a small thing, but it meant so much to the young girl. Lara hugged her dad tightly as they vanished in a flash of light.

Moments later, Lara opened her eyes and found herself in a small ice cave. Even with a little Kryptonian invulnerability to protect her from the elements, she had to admit it was freezing cold here. She looked around the cavern and saw nothing but her smiling dad and the teleporter pod wedged into the icy floor. “This… isn’t the entire fortress, right dad?” She asked with a little concern. This was her first visit after all and she hoped it wouldn’t be this big a let down.

“No no, this is just a spot for the pod.” He said with a chuckle, taking her hand and leading her out of the cave. “See, the defenses of the fortress are too strong to teleport directly in. We had to set this up a bit outside it.” At the mouth of the cave, Lara was greeted by an impressive sight; across a small expanse of frozen tundra was a massive crystalline structure. An entire mountain of glittering crystals and stone practically glowing in the sunlight. The Fortress of Solitude!

Clark smiled at his daughter, who stared at the Fortress with her jaw hanging open. “Miss Kent,” he said, dramatically, “Welcome to the Fortress of Solitude! What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful…” said Lara. She then smiled up at her dad. “Is there heating inside?” she asked, trying to stop herself from shaking. 

Clark chuckled and held the young girl's hand as they flew across the icy wasteland towards the Fortress. As they got closer, Lara noticed a large metal door in the side of the crystalline wall. Lying at the foot of the door was a plain regular-sized doormat.

The young Supergirl watched with interest, as her father lifted up the doormat, and brushed away at the snow underneath, revealing a stainless-steel object which lay under a few inches of snow. “You’ll like this bit.” Clark said to Lara, as he pulled on the metal.

Clark kept pulling as he floated straight up, revealing the metal object to be the ring of an enormous key, as big as a lamppost. Lara watched her father fly halfway up the door and lift open a hatch, revealing a giant keyhole, before slotting the key into the hole, and turning it. Going by the way her dad had held the key, and the noise it made while it unlocked the door, Lara estimated that it must have weighed several tons.

As the large door began to slowly open, Clark landed gently on the ground next to Lara, and returned the key to its hiding place. “It’s an extra layer of security that I installed myself.” he explained to his daughter. “Lifting that key all the way up there isn’t something most people can do. Fortunately, for us, it’s a breeze!”

The door had now opened to reveal… a second smaller door. Although this one had a more unique appearance; it seemed smoother and more neatly designed than the last one, which looked like it was welded together from scrap metal. 

Clark placed his hand upon the door and spoke in a language that Lara recognized as Kryptonian. She had never heard her dad speak the language before, but she sometimes heard Kara use it when she spoke of Krypton. Kara probably spoke it better than Clark, who had had to learn to speak the tongue from old historical archives.

As her father spoke, Lara picked up on a few words; “Kal-el” and “Jor-El”. Those were her dad’s Kryptonian name and his biological father’s name, respectively. Lara had always found it strange to know that her biological grandparents, who she had never had the chance to meet, were aliens from a distant, now all-but-extinct planet.

Suddenly, Clark paused and looked at Lara, before turning back to the door and saying, “Lara-El.”

Lara felt her spirits rise even higher hearing her true name in Kryptonian fashion. A light on the door turned green, accepting Clark’s statement, however it didn’t open just yet. Instead another small panel opened up on the door. From out of the panel, came a robotic arm with a spherical crystal on the end,

“Wow. Lots of security.” Lara said with another shiver, “How many more are there, dad?”

Clark put a hand on her shoulder. “Just a quick DNA scan to go now, sweetie. Put your hand next to mine.” He placed his hand on the crystal and Lara followed suit.

There was a series of strange, disconcerting noises that seemed to originate from the crystal, prompting Lara to look up to her dad for reassurance. Clark smiled back at her. “It’s okay,” he said, “It’s just taking a little longer to check that you are who I said you were. It probably wasn’t expecting you to have some human DNA as well as Kryptonian.”

Lara gave a sigh of relief. For a second, she had been worried that the machine wasn’t going to accept her as a girl. It felt good to know that that wasn’t the case.

The door eventually opened, revealing a long corridor with walls of shimmering crystal. Father and daughter began making their way along the surprisingly warm corridor, grateful to be out of the arctic winds. When they got to the end, and stepped out into a wide open cavern, Lara’s jaw dropped.

She had been expecting something similar to the Watchtower, or possibly the Batcave, only maybe with more bright colours. But this was completely different. Sunlight shone through the crystalline walls and ceiling, creating all kinds of beautiful colours and patterns throughout the main concourse. Almost everything, even the computers and machinery over in one of the corners, were made of shimmering crystal.

“It’s so beautiful… but… how?” Lara couldn’t help but ask, staring at the seemingly naturally occurring crystal furniture.

Clark shrugged with a smile “Kryptonian science. This entire fortress was grown from just a small handful of crystals that were in the ship that brought me to Earth.” Clark looked around the fortress. “Even after all these years, I’m still amazed by the wonders of Krypton’s technology. This is just a tiny remnant of what Krypton was.”

Clark paused, realising he was monologuing, and smiled at Lara. “Come on, sweetheart.” he said, offering her his hand. “I’ll give you the grand tour!”  
________________________________________________________________

Lara hung on her dad’s every word as they flew around the fortress together, and he gave her a history lesson on both his life as Superman, and the history of Krypton. She was fascinated by how much information there was to find on the computers concerning the dead planet, although most of it was in Kryptonian, which Lara couldn’t speak (yet).

Clark had an entire wing of the Fortress dedicated to souvenirs that he had collected over the years. They included a variety of objects, such as one of Metallo’s cybernetic arms, a dented fragment of Lex Luthor’s power armor, as well as a crumpled-up revolver from one of the first crimes ever foiled by Superman.

But Lara’s favourite part of the tour was the gigantic statue of her Kryptonian grandparents; Jor-El and Lara-El. She had, at first, been amazed at how much Jor-El resembled her dad, but then she noticed Lara-El. The woman depicted by the statue radiated beauty and strength, and Lara felt proud to have her as a namesake. She hoped that she could, one day, grow up to be as beautiful and strong as her grandmother.

“So, Lara!” said Clark, once they had finished the tour. “What do you think?”

“I love it here!” cheered Lara. “When I’m Supergirl, how often will I be able to come here?”

Clark smiled. He loved how much more enthusiastic and cheerful Lara had become. He was so proud and happy for his little girl. “Well, I come here once or twice a week.” he said “But that’s just me by myself. If you’re gonna be with me…” He paused, before suddenly snapping to attention. “Oh! That reminds me!”

He rushed over to a nearby console and pressed a few buttons. The wall behind the console slid open to reveal a set of mannequins.

Lara noticed several different outfits for her father, each with its own unique colour scheme, as well as similar outfits for Kara and Conner. Then her eyes fell upon a smaller mannequin, and she let out a tiny gasp of joy.

The mannequin wore a sleeveless dress bearing the colours and emblem of the House of El. The bodice was sky-blue, with the family emblem on the chest, and a gold belt separated it from a red skirt. Attached to the shoulders, was the red cape that Lara had been wearing as part of her makeshift outfit. Finally, to finish the look, the outfit also included matching blue tights, red flats and a pair of large red bracelets.

“Oh wow! It’s… I love it so much!” She flew over to the mannequin and hovered around it, admiring it from every possible angle. It had a lot of similarities to the makeshift outfit, but it also had so much more to it. The fabric was finer and sturdy, reinforced by the light and energy of the Kryptonian crystals. Lara’s eyes lingered on the bracelets and she gently ran a finger over the glistening red metal, “These are really cool! Just like an Amazon!”

Clark laughed and joined his daughter standing next to the displayed outfit. “I’m glad you like them. They actually were a gift from Diana. She wanted to offer her support any way she could.”

Lara was overcome with happiness and euphoria. She literally flew into her dad’s arms and hugged him tightly.

Clark grinned. “Do you wanna see something really cool?” He set his daughter down gently in front of the display case. “Stand there and match the mannequin’s pose. Then close your eyes and imagine yourself in the costume.”

Lara did what she was told. She looked at the mannequin, standing with hands on hips and legs apart; a classic superhero pose. She copied the pose, closed her eyes, and visualised herself in full Supergirl garb.

All of a sudden, she felt a strange tingling sensation all over her body, accompanied by a zapping sound not too dissimilar from a teleportation effect. She opened her eyes and saw that the mannequin was now wearing a hoodie, jeans and sneakers, along with a baseball cap and glasses. In fact… they looked a lot like her clothes… Lara looked down at her attire, and shrieked with joy.

She was now wearing the outfit that had, until a few seconds ago, been worn by the mannequin. The dress, tights, flats, cape and bracelets had all, somehow, made their way onto Lara, and she looked incredible!

Lara began to float into the air, spinning as she admired her brand new outfit. She looked at her father, who was grinning from ear-to-ear at his daughter’s reaction. She tried to say something, but all that came out was... “Wha-? How? THITH ITH GREAT!”

“Kryptonian technology.” explained Clark. “It’s a neat little trick, but it only works with these mannequins. So, I take it you like your new costume?”

“I love it, dad!” She let out a little squeal of joy and flew a few loops in the air. Feeling rather dizzy, she stopped in midair, albeit upside-down. “What the…Am I faster than before?”

Clark came over and helped turn herself right side up. “That’s right. Between the fabric and the crystal energy, the suite stores a little extra power that you can pull from. Just enough power that you don’t run out of juice at night until your powers are fully developed.”

Wanting to get in on the fun, the Man of Steel matched the pose of his own mannequin, and in his own flash of light, he too was dressed in his trademark bright blue, red and gold. He grinned at Lara. “Wanna test out your new suit?”

As soon as they were outside, Lara shot off into the sky with her father. Now that she had her own super-suit, she could fly as high and fast as she liked, without her clothes catching fire from the friction. The extra energy from the suit also gave her an edge, and she laughed gleefully, as she heard the faint pop of her very first sonic boom.

She looked back to check if her dad was still following her. She smiled when she saw him, but then gasped when she noticed how high they had flown. The Earth spread out below them, but Lara could make out the curvature of the horizon. They were in the freakin’ stratosphere!

Being up so high, with less ozone to filter sunlight, Lara felt stronger and more energetic than ever. This, combined with her new look and the euphoria it gave her, Lara felt more excited than ever to take on the role of Supergirl.

Clark flew up beside her and held her hand. “It’s beautiful up here. Isn’t it?” Lara couldn’t find the words to respond, so she simply smiled and nodded.

“We still have a few hours before your big debut.” said Clark, looking at his watch. “Do you want to grab lunch somewhere? I’ve got a few places in mind...”

Lara thought about this. It would be nice to get some food before the conference, as well as just sit and have a chat with her dad for a little while. But being up in low-orbit wasn’t an everyday experience for Lara, and she wanted to make the most of it.

“Oh! By the way,” added Clark, “While we’re up here, the air’s so thin that there’s practically no resistance. At our top speed, we could do two full orbits before we’d need to head back to Metropolis.”

Lara’s eyes went wide as she processed this information, and grinned broadly when she realised what Clark meant; They could literally fly anywhere in the world, have lunch, and still have plenty of time to make it back to Metropolis in time for Lara’s big moment.

“So,” said Clark, with a sly grin. “Where do you want to go? I’ll race ya!”  
________________________________________________________________

The father-daughter duo flew together across the sky for the next half-hour. Clark challenged Lara by gradually increasing his speed as they flew, and seeing if she could keep up. He was impressed to see her still flying comfortably by his side, even when they overtook the International Space Station, which passed by about a mile above them. Lara waved as it passed, and Clark wondered if anyone onboard had seen them. It wouldn’t matter too much if they did. If anything, it would make it easier to introduce Lara as the new Supergirl later that afternoon.

As they flew, they noticed the sun seemed to have moved significantly across the sky. Lara looked back, nervously. How long had they been flying for?

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” said Clark, reassuringly. “It’s not evening yet. We’ve just flown over a few time zones. It’s only about 11 o’clock back home.”

“Oh right!” said Lara, grinning sheepishly. “Of course, I knew that.” She looked down at the Earth below. “Where are we now?”

“From the look of it...” said Clark, examining the planet below. “It looks like we’re just above Paris, which would make it approximately 5 in the afternoon. Cafés shouldn’t be too busy at the moment.” He smiled at Lara. “So, sweetie! How do you feel about French pastries for brunch? Just don’t tell your mom.”

Lara nodded excitedly at the idea of fancy sugary treats. She was also excited to see all the fancy landmarks she had learned about at school. She had been doing okay in her French lessons, so it would be great practice too to talk with the local speakers. The only person she could normally practice with was Damian, who spoke several languages. But Damian was… well, Damian. Practicing with him often resulted in a lot of tutting and condescending remarks.

They began to make their descent. This proved to be harder than Lara had expected. She thought it would just be a simple matter of letting gravity take over, but after a few seconds of falling, she began to spin wildly out of control. She leveled out and tried to descend in a more controlled manner. This also proved difficult, as it would’ve taken her all day to reach the ground from this height at her usual speed.

Clark flew up beside his daughter. “Don’t want to rush you, Lara. But if you want to make a quick descent, you’re gonna want to fly straight down.”

Lara gulped as she looked down at the city below them, about 50,000 feet between it and her. The idea of flying straight down at speed did not appeal to Lara. One miscalculation and she would risk smashing into the ground like a meteor, which would not make for a good first appearance as Supergirl.

Lara began hugging her forearms nervously. She was starting to feel a little unprepared for her role as a hero. How could she possibly live up to her family’s legacy if she couldn’t even do something as simple as fly straight down?

Lara then felt her dad’s hand on her chin and looked up to see him smiling warmly at her. “Oh, sweetheart…” he said, softley. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re already way ahead of me when I was your age. It’s only natural to need a little help from time to time. Here. Let me help you.”

Clark held his daughter in his arms, as he began to fly down. He flew in a large spiral, which made their descent go at a more manageable speed; not too fast as to risk an accident, but also not too slow as to take all afternoon. After a minute of flying, the Eiffel Tower came into view.

Lara couldn’t believe her eyes. The tower she had seen so many times in photographs was standing right in front of her, only a few miles below. “It’s so amazing!” she said. “I’ve always wanted to see it for real!”. 

“Actually,” said Clark. “We did come here before as tourists, years ago. You, your mother and I came here for a vacation. But you were barely two, so it’s only natural that you don’t remember.”

“Wait, what?” said Lara. “How come you never told me? Didn’t you take any photos?” 

Clark grinned awkwardly. “Don’t tell this to anyone, but we kinda came here in secret.” he said in a hushed tone. “I was helping Bruce track down some supervillains, and I figured “Why not treat you and your mom to a vacation?”. So Bruce flew you and Lois here in the Bat-Wing, and we all had a secret family vacation in Paris.”

Lara let out a small sigh and smiled looking out over the city. “Of course it was Uncle Bruce. Well I doubt we had a view of Paris like this on that trip!” Though she was able to fly on her own again, she let her dad continue to carry her, so that she could admire the view. It wasn’t long before they were flying low over the rooftops and she could get a much more distinct view of everything. 

It was only then that Lara came to a chilling realization; up till now she had only been out as a girl to friends and family. Any moment now she would be seen as a girl by strangers for the first time! At least she hoped they’d see her as a girl. 

The irrational panicking part of her young brain imagined someone yelling “Look! Up in the sky! Why is that boy wearing a dress?!” Of course she knew that wasn’t realistic, especially not with dad beside her, but the paranoid thoughts still got to her.

The moment of truth came when some of the locals started to spot them. Lara could see the Parisians pointing, calling up to them, some even cheering for Superman. Sure Lara had seen celebrations of her father before, but never from this angle. She blushed and nervously waved down at a group of kids roughly her own age that seemed especially excited to see them. Maybe this would go better than she thought.

“Dad… does this happen everywhere you go?” She asked quietly as if afraid the people cheering 10 stories below them might hear the question.

He gave her a rather sheepish smile that truly spoke of the temperament of the Man of Steel “Pretty much yeah. I’d say you’ll get used to it, but it still surprises me every now and then. Honestly I think that’s a good thing. Better to not want the adoration too much. It can give a hero a big head.”

Lara nodded. “Like Booster Gold?” She said, having heard plenty of stories about that particular hero’s ego.

Clark stifled a laugh, “Now sweetie, you shouldn’t say things like that. Booster hasn’t been like that in years. You’d understand if you met him outside of hero work. He’s actually very humble in real life, I think Ted really helps to keep him grounded.”

Lara giggled thinking about the happily married heroes, especially since they reminded her of another couple consisting of a Blue Beetle and a time traveling goofball; Conner’s old teammates, Bart Allen and Jaime Reyes, AKA Impulse and Blue Beetle III. She was just starting to question if Blue Beetles had a type, when she noticed they were flying away from the parts of the city best known by tourists.

Lara was about to question this, but then Clark swooped down and they landed neatly in a quiet street, in front of a small café. In the cafe's window was a large photograph, which depicted Clark posing in front of the café alongside a man who was grinning broadly. Above the photo was a sign which read “Repas offert pour Superman!” Underneath was a translation in English; “Free meal for Superman!”

Suddenly, the front door flew open and a short middle-aged man, with a moustache, came rushing out to greet them. Lara recognized him as the man from the photo, and guessed that he was the owner of the café.

“Ah, Monsieur Superman!” he said, shaking Clark’s hand. “C’est toujours un plaisir de vous voir ici !”  
(“Ah, Mr. Superman!”)  
(“It's always a pleasure to see you here”)

The man spoke French, which Lara struggled to understand. Hearing the language being spoken so quick and naturally, felt very different from her French lessons at school. She looked up at her dad, who gave the man a humble smile.

“Heureux de toi voir aussi, Vincent!” replied Clark, also speaking French which surprised Lara. “Comment vont les affaires?”  
("It's good to see you too, Vincent!”)  
(“How's business?")

“Merveilleusement bien, comme toujours!” cheered Vincent. “Et tout ça grâce à notre sponsor!”  
("Incredibly great, as always!”)  
(“And all thanks to our sponsor!")

Seeing her dad conversing in French made more sense, the more Lara thought about it. Superman was a hero to the entire world, so it would make sense if he could communicate with everyone he saved. Though Lara had to wonder; How many languages did her father speak?

Suddenly, Vincent turned to look at Lara, as if he had only just noticed her. “Ah! Et qui c’est, ça?” he said to Clark. “C’est une amie à toi? Une fan peut-être?”  
("Oh, and who's this?”)  
(“Is this a friend of yours? Or maybe it's a fan?")

“Uhh… Bonjour…?” said Lara, nervously. “Je suis...?”

“Oh, effectivement, c’est un fan que j’ai rencontré à Metropolis.” Explained Clark. “Elle a gagné un concours et son prix était une journée entière avec moi. Je lui fais donc visiter des endroits que j’ai sauvé et je me suis dit qu’on pourrait grignoter un peu ici.”  
("Oh, she's a fan of mine I met in Metropolis.”)  
(“She won a contest, and her prize was a whole day with me! And so, I am showing her some places I helped to save and thought we could eat a bit there.")

“Okay!” Thought Lara. “That was impressive even by dad’s standards.” She was now beginning to wonder if super-multilingualism was a power that Clark had never mentioned before.

“Ce sera un honneur de faire découvrir la cuisine française à l’une de vos fans alors!” Said Vincent, gesturing Clark at Lara to a nearby table.  
(“It will be an honor to show what French cuisine is like to one of your fans then!”)

“Merci, Vincent!” said Clark, as the short man made his way back into the café to prepare for his first customers of the day.

As they sat down, Lara looked at her father, quizzically. “How come you know French so well?”

Clark grinned, and leaned in close so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Well Lara, when you’re an international superhero, and a journalist working around the world, it helps to speak more than just English. I also know Spanish and a little Mandarin. And those are just the human languages…”

“Wow!” remarked Lara. “So what were you and that guy talking about? You were both talking so fast, I couldn’t follow.”

“Oh, Vincent and I go way back!” said Clark. “Years ago, I stopped a robbery at this café. It was just another day for me, but it meant the world to Vincent. He’d only just opened this place and things weren’t exactly going his way.”

“How come?” asked Lara, who always enjoyed stories of her father's superhero work.

“The café wasn’t making the money he’d been hoping for. If those robbers had been successful… Well, that would probably have been it for him.”

“Good thing you saved him.” said Lara, “I guess you showing up also helped improve business? Is that why he offers you free meals?”

Clark smiled. “Yes, but there’s more to it than that, sweetie. After I saved his café, Vincent began using the money he made to help those less fortunate than himself; donating to charities, organizing events, and providing food for the homeless. He tells me it’s his way of saying thank you; passing on the good deed that I did for him. This café isn’t just popular because of me. It’s because Vincent felt inspired to be a good person, and channeled his success and good fortune into kindness!”

“Whoa!” muttered Lara “That’s great!”

“I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet.” chuckled Clark. “Last time I was here, Vincent told me that one of the robbers came back… as a customer!”

“What!?” said Lara. “Oh no! What did he do?!”

Clark smiled. “Well, he said his first impulse was to kick him out, but then he remembered all the kind things that he had done for his community. He wanted to extend that kindness, even to the man who had wronged him. They started talking, and he found out that guy had just been released on good behaviour and was looking for work. The reason he had tried to rob Vincent in the first place was because he believed he had nowhere else to turn, but he had since seen that he was wrong and had only come to apologise.”

“Apologise?” repeated Lara, “Really? What happened then?”

“See for yourself.” said Clark, pointing through the café window.

Lara gazed through, and saw Vincent talking to a slightly younger looking man behind the counter. She stared at them as she slowly connected the dots in her head. She turned back to face Clark. “No way!” she gasped, a bewildered smile forming on her face. “Vincent gave him a job?!”

“Indeed, he did!” Clark smiled. “Because Vincent is a hero! Just like you and me. I believe that everyone on this Earth has a bit of heroism inside of them. They just need a little inspiration for it to show. That’s what being a superhero is all about, Lara. It’s not just saving people and looking cool, it’s about inspiring everyone to be a good person, and reminding them that there is always hope in the world!”

“Inspiring people…” Lara repeated to herself as she took in the importance of her dad’s words. “I really want to do that… It’s why I want everyone to know I’m a trans girl, as well as Supergirl. Yeah, I want to rescue people, fight bad guys and all the rest, but… I knew I could do so much good even without that.” she paused and put her hand to the shield on her chest, “Our crest… it means hope right? And hope can mean a lot of different things…”

“You want to give hope to other kids like you.” said Clark. “Other trans kids, I mean. Kids who might not be as fortunate as you.”

“Yeah! That’s right.” said Lara. “I’ve got it way better than most trans kids, so it’s only fair I do what I can to give them hope.”

By this point, Clark was beaming with fatherly pride at his daughter. Lara could have sworn she saw tears of pride in his eyes. “That’s wonderful to hear you say that, sweetheart.” the Man of Steel said, softley. “You are going to be brilliant as Supergirl.”

Lara stood up, walked around the table and hugged her father. She was glad that the street they were on was fairly quiet, and there weren’t any crowds gathering to watch this strange girl hugging Superman.

That made Lara realise something. “Hey, dad?” she asked. “When you introduced me to Vincent, did you tell him who I was?”

Clark smiled. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I figured you probably wouldn’t want to spoil your big debut to anyone. I told him that you were a fan of mine from Metropolis, and that you’d won a contest to spend the day with your favourite superhero.”

“My favourite superhero?” Lara grinned, as she mimed looking around the area. “Where? You didn’t tell me that Aunt Diana was gonna meet us here?”

“You watch it, young lady!” laughed Clark. “Or I’ll ask Vincent to make you some of his special “Kryptonite-Ratatouille”!”

They both laughed at this and Vincent came back out to them with menus. “Est-ce que votre invitée voudra quelque chose, Monsieur?”   
(“Anything special that you or your young guest want today, sir?”)

Clark looked over the menu and smiled, “Vincent, je sais parfaitement que tout ce que tu fais est merveilleux! Mon amie a un attrait tout particulier pour les desserts, alors nous prendrons quatres desserts de votre choix !”  
(“Vincent, I know everything you make is amazing! My friend here has an impressive sweet tooth, so we'll take any four desserts that you'd recommend!”)

The owner nodded and smiled, “Tout à fait, je comprends. Un florilège de pâtisserie pour cette jeune fille. Je reviens à vous tout de suite! Thomas, Jérôme!” He turned away from the table and called an order to a young blonde boy helping behind the counter.  
(“Of course, I understand. A nice variety for the young lady to try. I'll be right back! Thomas, Jérôme!”)

Lara smiled at her father, “I think I understood most of that conversation. You asked for four desserts and he called me a girl!”

“Very good!” said Clark. “Your French is pretty good for your age. Maybe we should come here more often?”  
________________________________________________________________

A few minutes later, the young boy, addressed as Thomas, approached the table with a large tray of pastries. It probably made sense that the ex-con (Jérôme, according to Clark) didn’t serve them. He would feel a little awkward serving the guy who had ended his short criminal career. 

Besides, it seemed that Thomas had happily volunteered for the task. He greeted them both with a bright smile and set the table. “Bonjour monsieur, et mademoiselle! Mon père recommandé pour vous ces quatres desserts que voici...” He placed four amazing looking desserts onto the table, naming each as he went. “Gâteau Nantais, Religieuse, Chouquettes et Mille-Feuille.”   
(“Good morning Sir, and Miss! My father recommends these four desserts... Gâteau Nantais, Religieuse, Chouquettes et Mille-Feuille”)

Despite not understanding everything he said, Lara could tell the boy was moving with more dignity and flair than one of his age normally would. He turned his full attention towards Lara. “Ce sont tous d’excellents choix, mais je ne peux résister à vous offrir mon favori...” With a last flourish he placed one last much larger plate in front of her. “Un délicieux Paris-Brest!”  
(“All of them are excellent, but I simply couldn't bear it if the pretty young lady left, without trying my personal favourite…”)   
(“Our finest Paris-Brest!”)

Thomas folded the now-empty tray under his arm and smiled up at his customers. “Si Monsieur Superman et sa ravissante amie ont besoin de quoi que ce soit, demandez simplement à me voir, Thomas, et je viendrais à vous sur-le-champ!” He gave a little bow, and possibly a small wink at Lara before stepping away from the table.  
(“If Mister Superman or his pretty friend need anything else, please just ask for Thomas, and I'll be right back to assist!”)

Lara found herself blushing, not sure if what she saw had really just happened. A cute boy had just complimented her, winked at her and given her an extra dessert, all on her very first day out publicly as a girl! No amount of free cake could equal the euphoria she felt in that moment!

As Lara tried to stammer out a thank you, Clark gently tapped the boy on the shoulder, “Un instant, Thomas. Est-ce que je peux te dire un petit mot ?” He turned to speak to Lara, “I just want to have a brief word with Thomas. Don’t wait for me to start eating, sweetie.”   
(“One moment, Thomas. May I have a word with you?”)

As Lara happily dug in, Clark got up and guided the boy away from the table, before speaking again.

“Dis-moi…” The Man of Steel began, “Tu la trouves ravissante, Thomas ?”   
(“So... You think she's cute, Thomas?”)

The boy nodded, wondering where this conversation was heading. 

“Je peux te dire un secret?” Superman asked, leaning in to whisper without waiting for a response, “C’est ma fille.”  
(“Want to know a secret?”)   
(“She's my daughter.”)

Thomas froze as he processed this information. He had flirted with Superman’s daughter, right in front of Superman, himself! He grinned nervously up at the Man of Steel… 

Superman didn’t seem angry. In fact, he was still smiling, and looked to be in a good mood. But there was a new edge to his voice and a sharpness in his eyes, “Je sais que tu es un bon garçon, donc donne-lui le respect qu’elle mérite, d’accord ?”  
(“You're a good kid, Thomas. I'd appreciate it if you show Lara the respect she deserves. Can you do that?”)

“Oui monsieur!” said Thomas. He knew Superman was a good guy, and would never do anything bad to him. But showing disrespect to one of the world’s greatest superheroes would have been a bad look for him. “Je suis désolé, je ne pensais pas à mal...”  
(“Yes, sir!”)  
(“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…”)

“C’est pas grave, c’est pardonné!” Superman said, cheerfully strolling back to the table. “Vos desserts sentent toujours aussi bon! Merci beaucoup!” He called back.  
(“It's okay! Apology accepted!”)  
(“The food smells great, Thomas! Thank you!”)

Thomas smiled and nodded at Superman and his daughter, before heading back inside the café. It was only once he was back inside that the young boy stopped to think. “Attends... Depuis quand est-ce que Superman a une fille?”  
(“Wait! Since when did Superman have a daughter?”)  
________________________________________________________________

Before long they had finished their meals and said their goodbyes to Vincent, Thomas, and even Jérôme. Lara made sure to comment, with some help from Clark, that the Paris-Brest was her favorite and thanked Thomas for it. With that the pair took their leave, Clark gently carrying Lara for the sake of appearances as they flew up into the bright blue sky.

Once they were high enough, Clark let go to let Lara fly on her own. “How are you feeling, Lara?”

Lara was practically buzzing, partially due to the large amount of sugary treats she had just had for her lunch, but also with excitement for what they had planned for that afternoon.

“Excited!” she giggled, to answer her father's question. “Is it okay if I fly back down there quickly?”

Clark frowned. “Down to the streets?” he looked down at the café. Thomas was clearing the table, while Jérôme swept the floor. “Hmmm… I suppose it should be okay if it’s just for a second. Everyone’s going to see you as Supergirl soon anyway. Just be quick and…”

“THANKS, DAD!!” cheered Lara, as she flew out of his arms and down towards the street, flying in the same spiral pattern that Clark had demonstrated earlier. Within a few seconds, she arrived down on the street outside the café where she floated a few feet off of the ground.

“Thomas! Jérôme!” she called out to get the attention of the two cleaners.

Jérôme dropped his broom as his jaw fell open. “Attends… la fille sait voler?!” he shrieked.   
(“Wait, the girl can fly too?!”)

Thomas clapped and cheered when he saw Lara. “Je le savais!” he said, climbing up on the table, and grinning broadly. “Tu es incroyable, Supergirl!”  
(“I knew it!”)  
(“You're incredible, Supergirl!”)

Lara giggled gleefully, and did a little mid-air spin, putting on a small show for her fans. “Merci! Merci!” She called out, trying to recall some more French words to show her appreciation. It was at that point, when she made eye-contact with the cute French boy, that she remembered another French custom she had learned about at school...

Before she had even had time to think about it, Lara flew right up to Thomas, and kissed the boy on the cheek!

Thomas froze on the spot. Lara flew back slightly, having surprised herself even more. She looked over at Jérôme, who was still gasping at her, even more bewildered than before. 

“Uumm....” said Lara, blushing, “Thanks for the food! See you ‘round, Thomas!” And with that, Lara sped off, up into the sky.

Thomas stood on the table, still frozen on the spot, with his cheeks bright red. Eventually, he came to his senses and, grinning like an idiot, he leapt off of the table and ran into the café. “PAPA! PAPA!” he yelled. “SUPERGIRL VIENS DE ME FAIRE UN BISOU!!! La fille qui était là, en fait c’était pas une fan de Superman! C’était Supergirl! Pas la toute grande, une autre! Superman a une fille, et elle m’a fait UN BISOU!!!”   
("DAD! DAD!”)  
(“I JUST GOT KISSED BY SUPERGIRL!!! The girl that was there, she wasn't a fan of superman! it was supergirl! But not the big tall supergirl, another one! Superman has a daughter, and she KISSED ME!!!")

Vincent raised an eyebrow, not understanding a single word of his son’s rambling. “Du calme, Thomas! Qu’est-ce que tu racontes, alors ce serait sa fille? Je le connais depuis longtemps, et il ne m’a jamais parlé d’une fille.” He paused. “Il m’ a dit avoir un fils, d’à peu près ton âge, mais...”  
(“Slow down, Thomas! What do you mean she's his daughter? I've known him for a long time and he's never mentioned having a daughter. He has mentioned having a son, about your age. But…”)

Thomas pinched his chin, thinking to himself, trying to understand.

Vincent pondered the situation as well. Then, a possible answer came to him like a spark. “Cette fille avait à peu près ton âge, n’est-ce pas? Superman n’a jamais parlé d’elle auparavant, mais il a bien dit avoir un fils...” He smiled at the visibly-confused boy staring up at him. “...et maintenant, il vient nous voir avec une fille, du même âge que son fils. Qu’est-ce que tu crois que ça veut dire?”  
(“This girl was about your age, right ? Superman has never mentioned her before, but he has mentioned having a son... And now he appears with a daughter, the same age as his son. What do you think this means?”)

Thomas’s eyes went wide as a wild idea formed in his mind. “Oh mon dieu, tu veux dire… QU’ELLE EST UN CLONE ?!”  
(“Oh my god, you mean... She's a clone ?!”)

Thomas beamed up at his father with such excitement, that Vincent didn’t even bother to correct him. Time would surely prove Thomas wrong, but for the time being, the idea of the boy thinking that his new friend was a clone was too funny for Vincent to say anything.


	11. Enter: Supergirl!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks! The moment you've all been waiting for!  
> The Sensational Debut of the All-New, All-Different SUPERGIRL!!!!

“So… You kissed Thomas.” Clark said it as a statement, not a question as they flew together, back through the stratosphere towards Metropolis.

“It was just on the cheek!” squeaked Lara, who hadn’t stopped grinning or blushing since leaving Paris. “I… I don’t know why I did it! He was just… being so nice to me!” 

Clark couldn’t help but laugh at how flustered his daughter was getting over this. He had listened briefly in on Thomas and Vincent as he had flown away, and was pleased to hear that Lara’s little display of affection hadn’t caused too much embarrassment.

As they flew, Clark tried to change the subject for Lara’s sake. “You ready for your big debut, sweetie?”

She took a deep breath, “Ready as I’ll ever be. Seeing everyone in Paris cheer for us helps… Do we know who is going to be there today?”

“Well, the Press, for starters.” said Clark. “Lois is gonna try to be at the front with Jimmy Olsen.”

Lara grinned and nodded. She had been practicing several interview questions with Lois over the past few days. (It was technically cheating to rehearse an interview like this, but Lois had shushed Lara when she brought this up.) She was glad to know that both of her parents would be there for her.

“Kara’s also going to be making her debut as Power Girl, so she’s gonna be there with Donna.” Clark continued, listing the various attendees on his fingers. “Diana and Bruce said they’d be there too. Though Bruce is coming as “Bruce Wayne” not Batman.”

Lara smiled when she heard this. Whenever Uncle Bruce was out in public as himself, he always adopted a fun-loving, playboy persona. He always claimed it was only to prevent people from suspecting that he was Batman, but most people who knew him personally could tell that he enjoyed pretending to be a billionaire idiot. 

“Will Damian be there too?” Lara asked, as Metropolis appeared below them. 

Clark nodded. Sometimes, Bruce would be accompanied by a family member to events such as these. This was partially for publicity, but also to try and keep him out of trouble. At least, that’s what Dick Grayson had told Lara, when he’d dropped Damian off at school one time.

Once they were above Metropolis, Clark and Lara began their descent, with Lara following her father's downward spiral maneuver. As they got closer to the ground, Lara noticed the large crowd which had gathered around the amphitheatre at the Metropolis Memorial Park. Kara’s press conference had just started.

As they approached the city, father and daughter focused their super hearing to see how far along into the event things were. They were greeted by a familiar voice, “HELLLLOOOOO METROPOLIS!!!!” 

The crowd answered with a loud cheer and Clark laughed at the enthusiasm that Bruce was giving off today. The billionaire was in top form for his role of MC. Once the crowd had quieted down, Bruce continued, “Good to know I still get that reception outside of Gotham! I’m gonna need for you to keep that going for me alright? You all know me! You all love me! Although, I’m not the star of the event today! I, Bruce Wayne, Prince of Gotham, Sexiest man a-” 

“Baba!” said a familiar sounding voice, cutting Bruce off to prevent any further embarrassment. Damian was either there on stage with Bruce, or somewhere backstage with a microphone. Either way, he took the job of keeping his dad in check as seriously as he took everything else.

“Right right.” Bruce straightened his tie and continued with a little more modesty, “I’m only here in my role as patron of the Justice League of America! 

By this point, Lara and Clark had covertly landed on the ground covertly behind the amphitheatre. Once they were backstage, Clark directed Lara to a lounge where she could wait for her big moment. 

“You all good, sweetie?” Clark asked as they approached the door to the lounge.

Lara nodded hesitantly. Her nerves were going haywire and her mind kept circling back to the cafe with Thomas. Why couldn’t she focus?!

When they reached the door, Clark knelt down in front of his daughter. Lara knew he could see she was nervous, and she knew he was about to make another speech. 

Clark spoke softly. "You remember the story I told you about Jerome? The ex-robber who came back to Vincent’s place.”

Lara nodded, wondering where this speech was going.

Her father continued. “I said that Vincent was a hero for giving Jerome a second chance. But that doesn't mean not hiring him would have been a bad action. Had Vincent kicked him out, it would have been completely understandable.”

Lara blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected this.

“People don't have any obligation to be heroes. Just like you don't have the obligation to come out if you don't want to. But remember that whatever your decision is, I'll be here to support you, okay ?"

As Clark finished his speech, Lara hugged him tightly. “Thanks, dad!” she whispered. “I needed to hear that. I think I’m ready.”

Clark smiled. “This is an incredibly brave thing you’re doing, Lara. “I’m so proud of you!” He stood up. “I need to be onstage for Kara now, sweetheart. So I’m gonna have to leave you here. Is that ok?”

Lara nodded, and Clark gave his little girl another hug. “Good luck, sweetie!” he whispered, “Diana will come and get you when we’re ready.” 

The Man of Steel then straightened up, gave his daughter a smile and a nod, before flying off down the corridor.  
________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country at Titans Tower, San Francisco, Conner Kent was struggling to hold in his excitement. He knew today was the big day for his little sister! And he wanted to surprise the other Titans with the news. He had it all planned out...

Step one: Get up before Tim and Steph. Easy! When those two slept at all, they slept deep.

Step two: Put the news report on TV and hide the remote so that Tim couldn’t change the channel. Easy, the remote was already hidden in the oven! No one would ever think to look there.

Step three: Make breakfast for them to keep them in the kitchen watching TV. … Well, no plan is perfect. The trash was full of burnt waffles, but he had made coffee and poured them all cereal! The plan would work and Tim and Steph would be so surprised!  
_______________________________________________________________

Considerably closer to Metropolis, the Grayson-West family was getting ready for lunch together in their house in suburban Bludhaven. Considering the family consisted of two adult children, two actual children, an alien and a woman pregnant with twins, it was not surprising that lunch was tater tots and dinosaur chicken nuggets. 

“Daddy, do we have to watch the news?” Mar’i, the young daughter of Dick Grayson and his wife Starfire, pouted a little, “Me and Jake want to watch cartoons instead!” She held up her two year old brother, hoping his cuteness would help her case for cartoons with lunch.

“Yes sweetie.” Said Dick, “Grandpa Bruce and your Uncle Damian are going to be on TV. You love seeing Grandpa out of costume.” He ruffled his daughter’s hair as he carried the platters of food to the table. 

Already seated around it was Dick’s wife Koriand'r, his husband Wally West (AKA The Flash) and Wally’s pregnant wife Artemis (who was also Kor’i’s girlfriend). It was an interesting family they had built here, but none of them would ever change a thing about it.

“Hey sweetie!” Kor’i got up from her seat and helped Mari into her chair and little Jake into his highchair. “Bruce is just starting. Any idea what the announcement is?”

“No clue.” Dick shrugged. “Something about Supergirl was all Damian would tell me… Kori, what is that?” He pointed to her drink, a bottle of mustard with a bendy straw in it. “You know the rule.”

She sighed and got up and walked to a cabinet. “If you’re going to drink condiments pour them in a glass.”

“That’s right. It sets a horrible example for Wally.” He smirked, catching his husband about to put a straw in a bottle of barbeque sauce.

“Oh well. Just this once.” Dick grabbed a bottle of ketchup and his own straw.

“How is it, that I’m the pregnant one, but I’m still the one with the least strange eating habits?” Artemis asked of the room, as Mari giggled at the adults' antics.   
________________________________________________________________

Back over in Paris, Vincent’s café had become unusually busy, even for a Saturday evening. This was chiefly due to Superman’s appearance, which had caused a large crowd of fans to turn up after the Man of Steel had left. Both Vincent and Thomas were happy with this. For Vincent, it meant more business and exposure, and for Thomas, it meant he got to brag about the fact that he had served brunch to the world’s most famous superhero (He made sure to not say too much about the girl that had accompanied him. Superman had been quite clear that her identity was to be kept a secret.)

Thomas had just finished recounting the story to a group of kids his age, when one of them spoke up. “Hé, t’as entendu la nouvelle? Superman va faire une annonce aujourd’hui à Metropolis ! Y’a des gens qui disent qu’il va présenter un nouveau superhéro...”  
("Hey, did you hear? Superman's gonna be making some big announcement today in Metropolis! Some people are saying he might be introducing a new hero!")

This got Thomas’s attention. He had a pretty good idea who this potential new hero could be. He looked over to his father at the counter. “Hé papa, tu peux allumer la télé? Apparemment Superman va passer aux infos !”  
("Hey Dad! Could you turn the TV on? I think Superman is gonna be on the news!")  
________________________________________________________________

Upon entering the lounge, the first thing Lara saw was a large flatscreen TV showing a live feed of the stage. She saw Uncle Bruce and Damian onstage. Bruce was wearing a fancy business suit, and Damian was wearing a black blazer over a white shirt, with matching black pants. The young Robin did not look particularly happy to be wearing such a basic semi-formal outfit.

Lara also saw Diana and Donna standing behind Bruce in full superhero getup. Lara was glad they were there. She felt much safer about coming out to a big audience, when she had two Amazon princesses to support her.

As Lara watched the screen, she heard the crowd outside cheer, which was closely followed by her father appearing onstage on the TV screen (There was an apparent delay of a few seconds.)

Two women were sitting on a couch watching the screen. It took Lara a moment to recognize them. The younger woman was Cassandra Cain, Damian’s big sister, wearing a black hoodie with jeans, with a bowl of popcorn on her lap.

However, Lara had barely registered Cass’s presence, as she was too distracted by the woman sitting next to her; It was Kara, wearing a wildly different outfit from her old Supergirl costume. Her new outfit consisted of a white sleeveless unitard, with blue patterned stripes down the sides. She also wore a red cape and a golden belt, similar to her previous look, along with blue bracelets and boots. The bracelets may have been inspired by the ones worn by the Amazons, who were pretty much a second family to Kara. 

As soon as Lara entered the room, Kara turned and smiled at her. “Princess! You look amazing!” She flew across the room and pulled Lara into a hug.

Lara was so taken distracted by Kara’s new look, as well as her own nerves, that she had completely forgotten that none of them had seen her new outfit yet. 

“Thanks!” She said, “You look amazing too!” Lara paused when she noticed something about Kara’s new costume. She pointed to her cousin’s chest, “No emblem?”

Kara nodded, “I wanted something different, something that would let me stand as a hero outside of your dad’s shadow. I toyed with having a hole in the costume where the “S” would have been, but… let’s just say it showed more skin than I would have wanted.”

Lara looked down at the emblem on her own costume. “Dad always says that it isn’t an “eth”... I mean… an “S!” Great. Of all the times for her lisp to return…

“It means hope. I know, Princess.” said Kara, smiling. “It doesn’t mean I’ve given up on hope, or anything. I wanted to show people that, sometimes, you can be a great hero, without a badge or an emblem.” She playfully nudged Lara. “Plus, “Power Girl” doesn’t even have an “S” in it. Imagine how that would’ve looked!”

Lara giggled. “Still wouldn’t have looked as dumb as having a hole in your costume to show off your…”

“Watch your mouth, young lady!” laughed Kara, pulling the young girl into a hug.

It was at this moment, that Lara noticed Cassandra watching them, smiling. Lara felt a small panic begin to form in her chest. She hadn’t come out to Cassandra, yet! They hadn’t seen each other since last week, and they’d barely said a word to each other.

However, Cassandra didn’t actually seem to be concerned about anything. She just waved to the two Kryptonians ladies from her seat. When she noticed Lara staring, she simply said, “Hi Lara.”

Still fretting, Lara nervously flouted over to her, “Hi Cass… I’m sure you have a lot of questions about this. You see-”

The older girl held up a hand to stop her and shook her head. “No. Already knew.”

This stopped the young Supergirl in her tracks. She knew?! How could that be? As she thought about it, Lara realised that Cassandra had addressed her by her name and was backstage at her big coming-out event. “Oh… yeah I guess you do know already.” Said Lara, relieved “Did Damian tell you?”

This actually made the daughter of Batman smirk a little. “Knew before that. Annoyed Damian that I knew before him.”

“You… you knew before he told you!?” Lara had not expected this. “But how?! I barely knew it myself when we last saw each other!”

Cass gave a little shrug, “Saw…” she paused for a second, thinking how best to convey what she saw in words, “How you carried yourself before the dancing... Then saw you after…” She paused, apparently trying to find the right words. 

It was at this point that Lara remembered what Damian had told her about his big sister. How she sometimes struggled with verbal communication and language. She waited patiently for Cass to continue.

The black-haired girl circled her face with an open hand, which Lara recognised as the ASL sign meaning “Beautiful”. Lara felt herself blush when she understood what Cassandra meant.

Cass then found some more words and started speaking again. “Different. Happy. Knew just by looking. I’m happy. Proud of you.”

“Whoa...!” breathed Lara. “You could tell just by looking? Was I really that obvious?”

“Don’t worry, Princess.” said Kara. “Cass here is gifted when it comes to reading people’s body language. Her observation skills are almost superhuman!”

Cass smiled. “Knew it was a secret. Never told Damian, or dad.”

Lara smiled, glad that someone like Cass was on her side.

“If you want to dance more, I can teach you.” Cass said with a smile. “Ballet is important to me.”

“That would be great!” said Lara. “I’m actually coming over to Gotham tonight, for another training session with Damian. Maybe you could join us.”

Cass didn't answer right away. She stared off into the middle-distance, in deep thought. “Better idea.” she said eventually. “Talk to Damian later.”

Right on cue, the door opened and Damian entered the room, followed closely by his father.

“You’re up, Power Girl!” said Bruce, giving Kara a thumbs up.

“Alrighty then.” said Kara, standing up and adjusting her costume. “How do I look?” 

Lara grinned and gave her cousin two thumbs-up. Bruce and Cass each gave a nod of approval. Damian put a finger to his chin as he examined Kara’s outfit, critically. “Tt,” he remarked, “Flamboyant and ostentatious. But I suppose that’s considered a good look in Metropolis.”

Kara laughed and ruffled Damian’s hair, making him scowl at her. “Hey, at least I’m trying to stand out.” said Kara, as she flew towards the door. 

Before leaving, Kara looked back, and said “Good luck, Lara!” Then she headed out through the door, heading for the stage.

Damian pouted. “I knew wearing this was a mistake.” he said, while everyone else tried to stop smirking at Kara’s comment. 

Bruce sat down next to Cass, and smiled at Lara. “I picked his outfit for him.” he whispered to the girls. “Didn’t want Damian upstaging anyone with one of his fashion statements.”

Damian huffed, apparently hearing what his dad said, and sat down next to Lara. He perked up when he noticed Lara’s new outfit. “Aha! Now that’s a better costume!” he remarked, scanning her up and down. “Far less derivative than the last one, and it shows off your femininity and elegance, as well as your power and strength!”

Lara smiled. “Thanks, Damian. That means a lot.”

Suddenly, they heard the audience cheering for Kara a few seconds before Power Girl appeared on the screen. She flew out over the crowd and did a little spin in the air so everyone could see her new look from every side before landing back at the podium. “Good morning Metropolis! Well? What do you think of the new me!” She called out and got a loud cheer in response. 

“Looks like they like her!” Lara smiled at Damian, but paused, noticing the sound had cut out for a moment and Donna was suddenly glaring daggers at someone in the crowd. “Wait, what was that?”

Damian chuckled “They must have had to censor someone in the crowd. I wonder what they said.”

Lara took a deep breath. She hadn’t considered hecklers in the crowd. Damian saw this and put a hand on her shoulder, “Hey, they’re going to love you Lara. People like that idiot aren’t worth the time.”

Onscreen, Kara smirked in the direction of the heckler. “Is that what you think? Well, me and my good friend Wonder Girl have something to say to that…”

Donna walked up behind Kara, who turned to look at her. The two superheroines began making out onstage to thunderous applause. Even Cass started clapping.

Lara couldn’t help but laugh at this extreme reaction “Oh wow! I wish I could respond to idiots with that!” Thinking of kissing brought her mind back to her impetuous action in Paris… “Hey wait.” She said, interrupting that thought with a new one, “Were Kara and Donna even out as a couple publicly?”

“Well if they weren’t, they are now!” Damian said, nodding his approval of the women’s actions. “Me and Colin did something similar at Baba’s last gala. Some bigoted oil tycoon showed up uninvited, knowing that it would reflect badly on Baba if he was turned away. Luckily, my habibi and I scared him off, simply by being as romantic as possible with each other, whenever he looked our way.” 

Cass gave a small chuckle, “Harper started it.”

Damian shrugged. “Maybe so, but Me and Colin kept it going for longer.”

Brushing aside the mental image of Colin and Damian making out in order to scare a rich homophobe, Lara instead focused on what Cass had just said. “Who’s Harper?”

“Harper Row; my sister’s girlfriend.” said Damian, “Also known as Bluebird of The Outsiders.”

“Partner, Damian. Not girlfriend.” Cass corrected him, not sounding mad but her tone was firm.

Damian quickly backtracked, “I’m sorry! It just slipped out!”

Lara was a bit confused, especially since Damian rarely apologized that quickly. “Um… what’s the difference?” She asked, not sure how else to say it.

“Harper is non-binary,” Cassandra explained. She thought how best to explain it and decided to sign with Damian translating.

“Harper still uses she/her pronouns but she doesn’t identify as female. That’s why she prefers to be seen as Cass’s partner rather than her girlfriend.”

Cassandra nodded in thanks to her little brother. “She calls us “date-mates”” Her cheeks actually turned a little pink.

“That’s cute!” Lara giggled, adding this information to her growing knowledge of LGBTQ+ scociety, “But I thought non-binary people used they/them.”

Damian took it over here, “Oh, many do. But there’s no wrong way of doing it. Some still use he/him or she/her. Others use totally different terms like ze/zir, or whatever feels right to them.”

Lara nodded slowly, “I’m not sure I understand, but I love it! Do you think I could meet Harper?”

Cassandra nodded, “Sure! Maybe later today.” She signed something to Damian, who nodded in agreement.

“Still up for training tonight, Lara?” Damian asked. “Me and Cass have just had an idea.”

“Totally!” said Lara, “What’s this idea?”

She paused hearing another loud round of applause from outside and checked the screen, seeing Kara step back from the podium to stand with Donna holding hands. 

“We can talk later.” Said Damian. “I think it’s your turn now.” 

To help drive that point home, Wonder Woman walked into the room. “We’re ready for you, Lara!” 

Diana stopped when she saw Lara in her new outfit. “Great Gaia! You look amazing, my dear!” She held out her hand. “Are you ready for your big moment?”

Lara had been caught off guard by the sudden realization that it was now time for her debut. It had snuck up on her! She wasn’t ready yet! She couldn’t-

“Supergirl.” The train of panicked thoughts stopped hearing Diana’s gentle voice address her that way. She looked again at her hero who still had her hand extended out. “You are ready, Lara.” It was a statement of fact, and hearing Wonder Woman say it with such confidence, Lara now believed it… She gave one last smile at Damian and Cassandra, before taking Diana’s hand and following her.

“I just wanted to tell you how proud we all are of you for doing this, Lara.” She spoke softly. They were still behind the curtains but they were so close that Lara could hear her father now answering questions from the crowd.

They were just in time to hear, “Superman! How is your younger son doing? Will the young Superboy be making his debut any time soon?”

Lara smiled a little at the awkward cough her father gave at the irony of the question.

“Oh, Well my second born is doing very well. As for your second question… I… yes and no…” Clark looked off stage and saw Diana give him the thumbs up.

“I think it’s better that we move on to the second big announcement of the day. Ladies, gentlemen, and others! I am proud, not just as Superman, but as a father, to present to you… Supergirl!”

He stepped back from the podium and the crowd applauded, but not as loudly as for Kara. There seemed to be a little muttering of confusion among the cheers. Still those people were cheering for her! Lara took one last deep breath to steal her nerves and flew out onto the stage.

Once the crowd got a good look at her, the cheers grew louder. She could even make out a few comments about how cute she looked. Lara caught her mother’s eye in the front row, next to a slightly perplexed looking Jimmy Olsen. Lois was glowing with pride for her little girl! 

Emulating Kara and wanting to vent some of her euphoric energy, Lara flew a lap over the crowd, waving to several people as she went. By the time she landed back on the stage, Lara was grinning from ear-to-ear. The crowd quietened down as she approached the podium.

Lara cleared her throat. “Thanks, Dad! Hi everybody!” She smiled sweetly, just like she had practiced, and the crowd cheered.

She continued her rehearsed speech. “So, as my dad said, I’m the new Supergirl, and me and my dad are gonna be working together, in the fight for truth, justice and the American way!” 

The crowd applauded this, and Lara looked over at Clark, who nodded approvingly. They made eye-contact, and Lara was moved to see the sheer pride and joy in her father's eyes. They filled her with euphoria, confidence and determination.

Lara looked out across the crowd. Reporters were waiting with notepads and dictaphones, and dozens of news cameras were set up behind them. Lara locked eyes with Lois, in the front row. Though she didn’t say anything, Lara could read Lois’s expression. “Go on, Princess! You can do this! I believe in you…”

Lara smiled, and spoke into the mic. “One more thing, before everyone starts asking questions. I have something to say...”

There was a brief curious murmur, that rippled through the crowd, as the new Supergirl took a deep breath.

“I... am a trans girl. I was assigned male at birth, but I am a girl, and my pronouns are She/Her.” 

Lara looked out at a sea of shocked faces. “Any questions?”  
________________________________________________________________  
Across the country, at Titans Tower, It had taken Conner longer than he thought to get his partners out of bed. Steph had gotten up grumbling eventually, but Tim had refused to get up, resulting in Conner carrying his small boyfriend, still wrapped in his blankets, and putting him down on the sofa. They were both thankful for the coffee and confused by the surprise breakfast of soaked luke warm cereal. Conner turned up the volume on the TV.

Luckily, the press conference had gotten to Kara’s appearance before Tim and Steph could start asking questions. All three approved of her name and costume, and cheered the kiss. 

“Was that what you wanted to show us, Kon?” asked Steph, as Kara finished her speech. “You’ve been pretty excited about something for the past week.”

“Not exactly…” Conner smirked, as he watched the screen. He noticed that Wonder Woman had slipped backstage, presumably going to fetch Lara.

Tim, who was snuggled between his boyfriend and girlfriend, suddenly spoke up. “I think I know what’s going on here.” he said, sipping his coffee.

“Oh really?” said Stephanie, putting an arm around Tim. “Care to enlighten us, Birdboy?”

Tim smiled. “Kon’s been talking with the Metropolis Kents almost every day for the past week.” He gazed up, giving Conner a smug look. “They’re gonna be unveiling the new Superboy, aren’t they? There’ve been rumors all over social media.”

On the TV screen, they watched Clark speak at the podium. “I am proud, not just as Superman, but as a father, to present to you…”

“I knew it!” said Tim, confidently. “Here we go!”  
“Supergirl!” cheered Clark.  
“Wait...WHAT?!” said Tim and Steph in unison, as Lara flew out onto the stage.

Conner tried his best not to laugh, as he watched his two SOs slowly piece things together.

When Lara finally made her announcement, Steph leaped to her feet with excitement, and Tim dropped his coffee. “Oh my god!” they both shrieked.

“No flippin’ way!” Steph cried out. They both turned as one to look at Conner who was beaming with pride as he watched his little sister on the TV. “How long did you know?”

Conner chuckled, “She came out at the Smallville family dinner last week. She goes by Lara now.”

“This is amazing!” Tim was now fully awake and stood up. “Kon, Steph, wake up the team! They need to see this! I’ll start making us a full breakfast for everyone!”

Both Conner and Steph kissed Tim on the cheeks and ran off to the other bedrooms. Tim began heating the oven, as he prepared various breakfast ingredients. It wasn’t long before the kitchen was filled with smoke and the smell of melting plastic.  
________________________________________________________________  
Over in Bludhaven, the reactions of the Grayson-West family were a little different. It took Dick, Kor’i, Wally and Artemis a moment to recognize the new Supergirl when she first flew onstage.

As Lara landed on the stage, and the camera was able to focus on her face, Mar’i sat up excitedly. “It’s Jon!” she cried, before looking confused. “Wait...Did they say “Supergirl?””

The adults all exchanged a look. One-by-one, they figured out what was going on, and were quickly confirmed when Lara announced her identity to the crowd.

Kor’i gave a squeal of delight. “Oh, how wonderful! She looks so cute!”

Wally was already checking social media, scrolling through his phone at a speed that only he could read, while Artemis cheered, “You go, girl!” at the screen.

Dick leant over to his daughter, who was still staring at the TV with a perplexed expression. “Hey Starshine, are you following this okay?”

Mar’i looked up at her dad, quizzically. “I think so… How come Jon’s a girl now?”

At that moment, Dick felt his phone vibrate. He checked it and saw a text from Damian, which simply read, “Her name is Lara.”

Dick smiled at Mar'i. “I guess she just feels more comfortable as a girl.” He chose his words carefully so as not to confuse the 5 year old. “Oh, and I just got a text from your Uncle Dami. He says that her new name is Lara.”

Mari’s eyes lit up as she grinned. “That’s a way better name!”

“Soopa girl!” giggled Jake, from his high chair.

Dick smiled at his kids, and made a mental note to try and arrange a time for them to meet their newest hero.  
________________________________________________________________  
Back in Vincent’s café, the TV was tuned into the MHNN (Metahuman News Network), an international news network which primarily focused on news relating to the Superhero community. It was the only news channel to broadcast the Metropolis press conference to other countries as it happened.

As the press conference went on, the atmosphere among the customers had changed drastically. The debut of Power Girl had gotten everybody’s attention, especially after she had locked lips with Wonder Girl for the whole world to see. Now everyone was watching intently, as Superman began to announce the second debut of the day.

Vincent, Thomas and Jérôme all exchanged a smile, as they had a pretty good idea as to who would be appearing onstage. Sure enough, Thomas smiled as he recognized the cute girl flying onto the stage; the same girl that had kissed him earlier that day.

However, the other customers all seemed perplexed by the new Supergirl. “Je savais pas qu’il avait une fille?” said one of the boys that Thomas had been chatting to.  
(“I didn't know he had a daughter?”)

“Moi non plus.” said another, “Mais sur tous les forums j’ai lu qu’il avait un autre fils qui allait être le nouveau Superboy. Est-ce qu’ils se seraient trompés?”  
(“Me neither. But all the online forums say he had another son who was gonna be the new Superboy. Did they get it wrong?”)

Thomas had to admit, even he was a little confused by this. His dad had definitely heard the Man of Steel talk about his younger son before. Had Superman lied to them? Or was Thomas’s clone theory actually true?

They got their answer when the Girl of Steel made her big announcement, and Thomas read the French subtitles; “Je suis une fille trans”  
(“I am a trans girl”)

Upon hearing this, quite a few customers gasped, others started muttering to each other, and a few of them gave small cheers. Thomas looked up at Vincent, who was sitting next to him. “Papa?” he said, “Qu’es-ce que ça veut dire être une “fille trans”?”  
(What does she mean by "trans girl"?)

Vincent pondered over his response. “Et bien, en fait…” he began, thinking how best to explain it to the young boy. “Lorsqu’une personne est “trans”, cela signifie que son corps ne va pas correctement avec son genre. Une fille trans, c’est une fille née dans un corps comme un garçon, mais ça marche aussi dans l’autre sens. Un garçon trans, c’est un garçon né dans un corps comme une fille.”  
(“Well, son... "trans" means someone who is born with a body that doesn't match their gender. A trans girl is a girl born boy's body, but it also works the other way around; trans boys are boys with girls bodies.”)

“Euh…” said Thomas, looking at the young Supergirl on the screen, before his eyes went wide with realisation. “Oh! Alors ça veut dire que quand superman parlait de son fils, en fait c’était...?!”  
(“Huh... Oh! So when Superman used to talk about his son, it was actually...?!”)

Vincent nodded and chuckled. “Superman semble avoir réalisé son erreur, et l’a accepté comme sa fille.”  
(“It looks like Superman has realized his mistake, and accepted her as his daughter”)

Thomas smiled as he gazed up at the screen. "Content pour elle! Elle est super jolie, et elle m’a même fait un bisou! Tu te souviens?”  
(“Good for her! She's still cute. She even kissed me! Remember?”)

Vincent smiled and ruffled his son's hair, before standing up and going back to serve his customers.  
________________________________________________________________

“Any questions?” asked Lara.

The crowd of journalists at the front of the crowd all started asking questions at once. Lara could barely make any of them out. She had anticipated a big reaction, but it was still a little overwhelming.

Luckily, her dad stepped in at that moment to calm the crowd down. “Okay folks! My daughter’s only gonna be answering a few questions here today, but I’ll be taking over after her.” Clark smiled at Lara, who gave a little thank you nod.

The journalists all sat down, yet kept their hands in the air. All except for Lois, who had stayed seated the whole time, with one hand raised calmly in the air. Naturally, Clark chose her for the first question.

“Hi Supergirl!” said Lois, cheerily. “Lois Lane - Daily Planet. First off, I just wanna say congratulations! You go, girl!”

Lara smiled at her mom’s comment. She loved how, even in full-journalist mode, she was still as supportive as ever. “Thanks M- Miss Lane!” She caught herself, managing to disguise her slip up as a nervous stammer.

Lois held up a recorder. “I want to ask, seeing how you’re possibly the world’s youngest openly-trans superhero. Is there anything you’d like to say to other kids out there who might be watching?”

This was an easy question, and one Lara had anticipated, thanks to Lois helping her rehearse for the conference over the past week. Lara stared down at the emblem on her chest, remembering the conversation she had had with her father while they were in Paris.

“I guess you could say that, giving people hope is a big part of being a hero.” said Lara, gesturing to the emblem. “That’s what this symbol means; Hope.” Lara looked up at Clark, who nodded encouragingly.

She continued her speech. “When I first told my dad that I was a girl, I was worried. I didn’t know what to expect or what would happen, and it was a really scary time for me.” She looked out towards the cameras at the back of the crowd, wondering how many kids like her would see this. “But I’m incredibly lucky to have an amazing family and friends to support me, and I know that not all trans kids have that. So I just wanna say; To anyone out there who is, or might be, trans, whether you’re out to anyone or not; I completely support you! I promise to do whatever I can to make the world a better place for people like us!”

Once again, the crowd started making noise. Only this time, they were clapping for Lara’s speech. With her super-hearing, Lara could hear people cheering all over the city, presumably from people watching her on TV.

“Next question!” said Clark, once the clapping had died down, pointing to a blonde woman in a black business outfit in the front row.

“Hi.” said the woman, holding up her own recorder, “Vicki Vale - Gotham Gazette. Are you planning to be a fully-fledged hero, or is this more of a hero-in-training/sidekick situation, like with Robin and Batman?”

Lara suppressed a smirk, as she heard a noise from backstage, which sounded like Damian scoffing angrily at being called a “hero-in-training”. She was happy to answer a more straightforward question, though she couldn’t help noticing that Vale had not shown much of a reaction to Lara’s coming out, aside from clapping politely. 

“For now, I’m basically gonna be my dad’s sidekick.” answered Lara. “He’s gonna show me the basics of being a superhero. I’m also gonna be training with other heroes in the Justice League.”

Vale raised an eyebrow. “Could you possibly give us a little more info? Maybe tell who you’ll be training with, and where?” 

Lara stammered a little, unsure of exactly how much she was allowed to say. Luckily, her dad took over for her.

“I’m afraid that’s a private matter, Miss Vale.” said Clark, leaning over to the microphone. “We have time for one more question.”

A curly-haired man sitting a few seats away from Vale stood up. “Uh, hi,” he said, awkwardly. “Alexander Knox - Gotham Globe. I just wanna ask, have you fully transitioned, or is there still more to do? Will you be using any metahuman methods to help you? Maybe some kind of Kryptonian hormone therapy?”

A few people in the crowd turned to stare at Knox, who grinned nervously. A few seats away, Vale rolled her eyes.

Lara blinked in confusion. “Uhhh… I haven’t… I mean, I don’t…”

Once again, Clark came to his daughter’s rescue. “I’m afraid that is a personal matter, Mr. Knox.” said Clark, with the slightest hint of annoyance in his voice. He then looked at Lara. “Do you wanna stop there, sweetie?”

Lara nodded. Knox’s question had caught her off-guard, and she was in need of some rest, away from the prying eyes of the media. 

The Man of Steel smiled as he addressed the crowd. “That’s all from Supergirl for today folks! I’ll stick around to answer any further questions.” He gestured to Lara. “People of Metropolis, Let’s give it up for my daughter”

The crowd clapped and cheered for Lara, who blushed and smiled as she waved to everyone. After a quick hug with her dad, which resulted in a chorus of “Aawwws!” from a few people in the crowd, Lara levitated into the air and flew backstage.

Diana was waiting for her with her arms outstretched and a warm smile. Lara flew straight into a hug from the Amazon princess.

“Congratulations, Lara!” said Diana proudly. “You were amazing!” 

“Thanks!” squeaked Lara, giddy with happiness and excitement. “Is everyone else still here?”

“Of course!” said Diana, as she led the young girl down the hall, back to the lounge.

As they entered, Lara was welcomed by a loud applause from Kara, Donna, Bruce, Cassandra and Damian.

After everyone had had a chance to congratulate, hug and/or high-five the new Supergirl, Lara lay down on the sofa and let out a long sigh of relief. 

She had done it. She was out to the world as Supergirl, had an entire community of friends and family who loved and supported her, and best of all, would soon be heading over to Gotham for ballet practice with her best friends.

Suffice it to say, this had been a pretty good Saturday.


	12. Dancing in Gotham

As the press conference was wrapping up, Kara, Donna and Diana said their goodbyes as they headed off, back to their superheroine lives.

Lara stayed backstage with Cass and Damian, as they watched Clark and Bruce, who had headed back out onstage to answer some more of the press’s questions. It was relatively uneventful except for Knox asking who Supergirl’s mother was and getting shut down again.

“Tt! The press is so nosey about superheroes’ private lives.” Damian shook his head at the TV. “Baba has been questioned by them as both Batman and Bruce Wayne. Yet the billionaire persona is the one that gets all the smart questions”

“Dad tries to avoid interviews.” Cass said through a mouthful of popcorn. “As Batman, that is.”

“Do you think I’ll get asked stuff like that all the time?” Lara asked, a bit nervous.

“Probably.” Damian admitted, “But that’s the benefit of being the junior partner on a team. You can defer the hard questions to the senior partner.”

“Junior partner?” Lara repeated.

“Sidekick.” Cass interjected, smirking

“I’m no one’s sidekick, Cassandra!” Damian stood on his chair to stand taller than his sister, posing proudly, “I am a hero in my own right!”

Lara couldn’t help but laugh at his dramatics, “I’m fine being a sidekick for now. Less pressure. Anyways, didn’t you two say you had a surprise for me at training today?” 

“Yep.” Cass nodded and smiled “Tell her Damian”

“Baba owns a few dance studios around Gotham,” Damian explained, “We rented out a studio for the rest of the day. We’ll have the whole place as long as we want. We’re just waiting for Alfred to come pick us up and we’re ready to go!”

Lara let out a little happy squeal, so happy to get another chance to dance, “That sounds amazing! Do I need to wait till Dad’s done to talk to him?”

“No need.” Cass said, pointing to the screen. “Looks like they’re finished.”

On the screen, the crowd was cheering as Bruce Wayne walked offstage and Superman flew up into the sky. 

“Hey!” said Lara, “Where’s he going? Why is he flying away?”

To answer Lara’s question, Bruce entered the room. “Don’t worry, Lara.” he said with a smile. “Your dad’s gonna meet up with us in the air, on the way back to Gotham. Damian says that you’re gonna be training at the studio tonight. I figured that you might want a ride there in the chopper.”

“Chopper?” repeated Lara, somewhat bemused by the offer. “But I can fly now. I can just fly there by myself.”

“Indeed.” interjected Damian. “However, I would advise conserving your strength before training. We don’t want you getting worn out.”

Lara mulled it over in her head. “Hmmm… I’m not sure…”

“The chopper has video games and snacks.” added Cass.

“I’m in! Let’s go!” said Lara, gleefully.  
________________________________________________________________

Later, Lara was sipping from a juice box while sitting in the Waynes’ private helicopter, piloted by Alfred Pennyworth. It didn’t take long to fly from Metropolis to Gotham, even by helicopter. 

To pass the time, Lara and Damian had started a game of Super Smash Bros, which Damian had suggested in order to give Lara an understanding of the chaotic nature of the battlefield.

At first, the odds were against Lara, who was still coming down from the adrenaline rush of the press conference. However, things changed when Cassandra joined Lara’s team, prompting Damian to enlist his father’s help. This proved to be the boy’s downfall as Bruce, despite being an expert in many fields, was absolutely terrible at video games.

Eventually, as they were flying over Gotham harbour, there was a tapping at the window of the helicopter. Everyone turned to see Clark smiling and waving at them.

“Dad!” laughed Lara, as Bruce opened the door to let Superman into the chopper.

“Hi sweetie!” said Clark, giving his daughter a hug. “So, how does it feel to be an official Superhero?”

“It’s awesome!” cheered the new Supergirl. “When can I start? Could we go out and do superhero stuff tomorrow?”

“We’ll see, sweetheart.” Clark chuckled. “You can join me on patrol tomorrow morning. We’ll try and find you something to do. Nothing dangerous though.”

Clark knelt down, so that he was eye-to-eye with Lara. “I just wanted to drop by to say that you were amazing on the stage today! You were so brave and I couldn’t be prouder!”

“Daaaad!” complained Lara, blushing as she noticed Bruce and Cassandra smiling and Damian rolling his eyes. “Not in front of the Bats!”

Clark smiled as he stood up. “I’ll see you soon, Lara. I’ll pick you up after training. Have fun dancing!”

“Bye dad!” Lara called as the helicopter door was opened and the Man of Steel flew back out into the afternoon sun.

Damian got up and closed the door so they could resume their game. Before heading back to his seat, he looked out the window at the Gotham City skyline. “We’re nearing the studio. I texted Colin to meet us there. Cass, did you text…?”

Suddenly, Damian staggered as the helicopter dipped. “Pennyworth! What was that?”

“Apologies, Master Damian.” casually replied the butler, who was also the pilot. “We seem to have picked up an extra passenger.”

Lara stood up, preparing for a fight, “Is someone trying to hijack us?! Who would do something so reckless?!”

“Calm down, Lara. It’s not a bad guy.” Cass sighed and walked to the open door. Without a care, she bent down over the edge and pulled up her partner in both crime-fighting and romance, Bluebird, AKA Harper Row.

Harper was taller than Cass, with blue-dyed hair in a faux-hawk style. Her costume resembled that of a high-tech biker, with a black leather jacket worn over dark blue body armour. Harper’s face was partially concealed by a black and blue cowl, though Lara could still make out a nose-piercing, blue lipstick and dark eyeshadow. In short, Lara thought Bluebird looked awesome!

Harper was holding a grappling hook and smiling with an energy Lara had seen from Conner very often. Her face wore an expression that screamed, “That could have killed me, but it was totally worth it!”

“Phew! Thanks babe!” said Harper smiling at Cass as she caught her breath. “Hope you don’t mind me dropping in?”

Cass smiled and pulled her partner’s mask off, “Hey. Why not wait at the studio?”

“Nah, I saw the chopper overhead and took my shot to see you early!” She chuckled, kissing Cass on the lips and playfully tickling her sides, only closed the helicopter door behind her once they had broken apart. 

“Tt! Must you be so mushy in public?” Damian growled, looking up from trying to explain to his father how to activate the smashball.

Cass answered by sticking out her tongue at him. Harper spoke for both of them, “Hey, like you’re any better with your boyfriend.”

Damian grumbled. “.... Just because you’re technically right, doesn’t mean I can’t get annoyed.”

Harper then noticed Lara sitting next to where Cass had been sitting. “Hey!” she gasped. “You’re the new Supergirl! You’re all over the net!”

“She’s joining us for ballet.” Cass said, smiling at Harper’s reaction.

“No way!” said Harper, grinning excitedly. “That’s awesome!”

Lara was bemused by Harper’s reaction. Bluebird had to be at least twice her age, and yet she was going crazy for her like she was a celebrity. “Uh… Hi.” she said, holding out a hand for Harper to shake. “You can call me Lara. Cass has told me all about you.”

The conversation would have carried on, but at that moment, something large, hairy and red swooped past the window.

“It would appear that young Master Colin didn’t want to wait either. Either that or Dr. Langstrom has dyed his fur.” Alfred commented as they hovered over a rooftop landing pad and lowered down to a gentle stop. A moment later Goliath landed a short distance away from the chopper and roared just for the heck of it. After all, why be a dragon if you can’t roar out on the rooftops?

Inside the cooling down chopper, Cass smiled at her little brother, and signed “Your idiot is just as bad as my idiot.”  
Harper laughed and pointed at her eyes, then at Cass’s hands, a clear sign even Lara understood as “I saw that.” 

Lara decided to add ASL to the list of things she needed to learn, in order to become a better hero, right after learning how to dance, basic makeup skills and conversational French. 

“Hi Colin!” Lara jumped out of the helicopter and floated over to her friend, still in his fierce, yet fluffy form. She gave the giant furry dragon a hug as Damian, Harper and Cass departed the chopper.

Bruce handed Damian and Cass a duffle bag each as they walked out. “Here’s your dancing gear, plus Alfred has included snacks for you and the others.” He gave them both a quick hug, before heading back to the chopper.

As they waved goodbye to the chopper as it took off, Lara felt a little more excited for the afternoon ahead. Ballet with her friends was already a fun prospect, but the addition of Alfred’s cooking made it even better. The butler was one of the best chefs Lara had ever met, apart from Grandma Kent, obviously.

As the sound of the helicopter faded, Goliath began to shrink down and shift in form, until Colin Wilkes stood in his place, wearing the same nanosuit from the previous weekend. “I gotta admit, Dami. This suit has saved me from a lot of awkward moments this past week.” said Colin, grinning at his boyfriend, who had walked over to give him a hug.

“You’re quite welcome, habibi!” smiled Damian. “Nothing but the best for my beloved.” 

The two boys kissed. Damian made sure to shoot a smug look in Harper’s direction, as if they were in some kind of competition.

“C’mon.” said Cass, taking Lara’s hand. “Let’s get ready.”

Lara smiled happily as she and Cass made their way into the studio. The younger girl couldn’t wait to see what today’s lesson would entail.  
________________________________________________________________

The ballet studio was on the top floor of one of Gotham’s many skyscrapers. The main dance hall was considerably larger than the one at Wayne Manor, with a wall of mirrors on one side and a large window on the other, which provided a brilliant view of the city.

Before entering the changing rooms, Cass unzipped her duffle bag and showed the contents to Lara. There was a colourful variety of different outfits, all in Lara’s size.

“Picked a few outfits for you.” explained Cass. “Which one would you like?”

Lara peered into the bag, beaming with excitement. She recognized the pretty pink tutu that she had worn the week before, as well as the black dress that Damian had danced in. There was even a blue and red outfit, similar to her Supergirl costume that she considered for a moment.

Then her eyes fell upon two outfits of matching colour, one of which was Cass’s size. It was a beautiful light-pink dress, with matching long gloves and bright-white tights. There was even a silver and pink tiara to complete the look.

“My favourite outfit.” said Cass, reading Lara’s expression. “Wore it at my last performance; The Nutcracker.”

“It’s so pretty!” said Lara, as she looked back at the second outfit, which she could now see was a smaller version of the same outfit. “Is that one for me?!”

Cass shrugged. “If you want.” she said, smiling at Lara’s joyous expression. “Maybe I’ll show you...?” But before she even finished her sentence, Lara gathered up the outfit and flew into the nearest changing room. Cass smiled, picked up her outfit, and headed into her own cubicle. 

A few minutes later, Cass emerged in her ballerina attire, and found Lara hovering in the air, looking absolutely adorable in her own matching outfit. The light-pink bodices were decorated with a frilly pattern, and the tutus bloomed out around their waists; perfect for twirling! The white silk tights and pink dancing shoes fit perfectly, and the long gloves and tiara gave the two young ladies a fairy princess look.

Both girls had tied their hair up in a bun. Lara had been practicing her hair-tying technique and had done a pretty decent job recreating the style she had worn it in the week before.

Lara beamed at Cass, feeling such euphoria that she was unsure if she would be able to land. She was quite literally floating with excitement. Cass said nothing, but smiled as she once again made the sign for “Beautiful.”

“Looking great, babe!” Harper called from a seat against the wall, beaming with pride at how beautiful her girlfriend was. “You too, Lara.”

“Thank you!” Lara giggled before coming back down to the ground, attempting to land on her toes but losing her footing. “Are you not gonna dance with us?”

Harper shook her head. “Not my kind of dancing. Besides, I’ll have a better view of Cass from over here.” She winked and blew a kiss to the older ballerina which made her smile.

“Ready to begin!” Damian called with dramatic flair, as he and Colin exited the boys’ changing room. “We have lots to get through, so it’s best if we start soon.”

Colin was in his favorite red outfit from before, but Damian, to Lara’s surprise, was wearing a boy’s costume. His outfit seemed very Robin inspired with green dancing shoes, a scarlet tunic and a small black and yellow cape. At first glance, Lara had to stifle a laugh, as Damian appeared to not be wearing any pants. However, on closer inspection, she realised that he was wearing brown tights.

“Huh.” said Lara. “That’s an interesting look there, Damian”

“Indeed!” said Damian proudly. “It’s based off of the original Robin costume; The one worn by Dick and Jason when they held the mantle. It was designed more for flexibility and acrobatics, which makes it ideal as a base for a ballet costume.”

Cass looked her little brother over for a moment, “This from your side project?” 

“Oh, not this again…” Harper said with an exaggerated sigh.

“It is a masterpiece! Not a side project!” Damian countered, posing dramatically so the little cape fluttered behind him. Colin nodded in agreement, though it was clear even he was still struggling not to laugh.

“What masterpiece?” Lara asked before she could stop herself.

“The Prince of Gotham.” Cass smirked and ruffled Damian’s hair. “A new ballet Damian wrote.”

“It’s an important piece!” said Damian, crossly. “Hardly any mainstream ballet has two male romantic parts! Whenever there’s two men onstage, the dance is almost always a fight! This would be unique! Fresh! New! Powerful!”

“Dude, it’s a three hour show about Robin and Goliath.” Harper barely looked up from checking through the bag of snacks. “You wrote a ballet about yourself and your boyfriend. Your masterpiece is a self-insert fanfic.” 

“She’s got a point…” Cass said, fighting not to smile.

Damian turned his back on his sister and her partner, “Tt, fine. I was going to ask you to play Batman in the show, Cassandra. But if you really think it’s not worth your time…”

“...Talk later?…” Cass had to admit defeat. Being offered a performance in the cowl was very tempting to her, and she’d at least be willing to hear the rundown of the show before discounting it...

“I want to see it too.” Lara added, curious to see something that Damian had made himself, even if it was just a way to stroke his own ego. “But only if we have time for the demo and the lesson!” 

“Right then!” said Damian, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s start with some simple warm-up exercises…”  
________________________________________________________________

Lara’s second ballet lesson went very differently from the previous week. The first time, she had been carried on the wings of euphoria for the whole experience, with her actual dancing a bit of a mess. This time she was able to channel the joy and better focus.

Cass was a patient teacher, demonstrating every movement and position she wanted Lara to match and turning to Damian if she needed help explaining the details. 

At one point, Cass even performed a dance from “The Nutcracker”, with musical accompaniment from the studio’s stereo system. Her dancing was flawless, and earned her a round of applause from everyone, especially Harper. Lara then spent the next 20 minutes trying to emulate Cass’s dancing, with varying degrees of success.

The group had a lot of fun, especially when a debate started over if Lara’s flying to get extra height in jumps and more delicate landings counted as cheating or an asset. Harper, Cass and Colin all saw it as the latter, and were trying to convince Damian to not be so uptight about it, especially seeing how Lara was a beginner.

All in all, Lara didn’t really mind whether or not her flying made her a proper ballerina. She was happy enough to look and feel pretty, all while spending quality time with her friends.  
________________________________________________________________

The young heroes kept on dancing all through the afternoon, and into the evening. It was getting close to six, before they finally decided to take a break. All of their dancing and excitement had worked up quite an appetite, so Lara was relieved to see the large amount of food that Alfred had packed for the kids.

“Let’s see,” Damian said, deciding to play host and hand out the food. “We have a big bag of Snickerdoodle cookies, some bottles of iced tea and about… 15 assorted sandwiches. Who wants what? We have hummus and vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, chicken pesto and steak with onions and peppers.”

Lara stared at the bag, amazed that so much food could fit in there “Why so many? There’s just five of us.”

“One of each, please.” Cass held up her hand and Damian tossed her 5 wrapped sandwiches.

“That’s why.” said Damian, dryly.

Harper laughed and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek, the quiet girl already taking a massive bite of her first sandwich. “Don’t try this at home kid! She’s a professional. Cass has a very healthy appetite. Can’t blame her. It takes a lot of fuel to be this cute all the time!” Cassandra smiled at the compliment but still shoved a cookie in her partner’s mouth to shut her up.

“I’ve only ever seen Conner eat like that.” Lara said, a little impressed as she grabbed a cheese sandwich for herself, pleasantly surprised to see it on homemade bread with four different cheeses.

“After our dinner break, maybe Colin and I can give a demonstration from “The Prince of Gotham?”” Damian said, eating his own food while sitting in Colin’s lap. 

Harper looked like she was about to make some witty retort to Damian’s suggestion, but apparently decided not to, lest Cass would shut her up with another cookie. Instead, she decided to change the subject by striking up a conversation with Lara.

“So what’s the plan for the new Supergirl?” Harper asked, handing Lara an iced tea. “We might have a spot available on the Outsiders, if you’re interested?”

“The Outsiders?” Lara asked. “Isn’t that Batman’s covert ops team, or something? I’m not sure if I’m ready for...”

“Relax, I’m just kidding!” chuckled Harper. “I’m guessing that you’ll be working alongside your old man to start off with.”

Lara nodded, “I’m gonna try out being a sidekick first, before I think about solo work or a team .” She had been toying with the idea of joining Conner with the Titans, or maybe she, Damian and Colin could try and start a new Titans East. She was certainly excited to see where her career as Supergirl took her.

She suddenly remembered something Harper had said on the chopper. “Hey Harper… when we met, you said I was all over the internet… What were they thaying exactly?” She winced as nerves made her lisp pop up for the first time in hours.

Harper grinned, before holding up an odd looking device, which Lara eventually recognized as some kind of jury-rigged hi-tech cell phone. “Do you want to see for yourself?”

The young girl looked at the phone as if it were a detonator, terrified of what it could do, before slowly nodding and moving closer.

“Be brave, sister.” Harper put a hand on the younger girl’s shoulder before unlocking the phone. “We won’t know the big opinion pieces until late tonight or tomorrow morning, but we can see social media easy enough.” She brought up Twitter with a few quick button presses. “Look here at the top trending? Supergirl is number one!”

“Number one?!” Lara repeated, quickly moving even closer to check if it was true. There it was! Number one trending hashtag in the USA; #Supergirl!

At the top of the feed, Lara saw news footage of herself at the press conference making her debut, and coming out to the world as a trans girl. Below the video, various news sites were already posting breaking news articles, Lara saw messages of congratulations from the official accounts of Wayne Enterprises, the Justice League, and even Olivia Marsdin; the freaking President of the United States!

Lara couldn’t believe it. She quickly checked the other top trends, to see what else people were saying. “#PowerGirl, #TransRights, and… #Superboy?” Lara shifted nervously. “Uh oh… What’s going on with that tag?”

“Oh, don’t worry!” said Harper, “There was some confusion online when the news first broke. People thought that the other super kid was trans. Y’know, Superboy? The big himbo from the Titans?”

Lara snorted and covered her mouth to stop from laughing. “You mean my brother? Yeah, I know him.”

The expression on Harper’s face when she remembered just who it was they were talking to was priceless. “Oh… I… right… sorry about that.”

“Don’t be, you’re right about him!” Damian called from across the room, not bothering to hide his amusement as he chuckled at Harper’s slip-up.

“Hey, look at this!” said Colin, who had taken out his phone and was also checking online. “Your brother just posted this on his TikTok!” Colin turned his phone around so everyone else could see.

“What is up my people!” said a familiar voice, as a video began playing on the screen. They could see Conner in his Superboy costume of a leather jacket, a black Superman t-shirt,red pants, and ridiculous shades, grinning as he sat next to a computer screen. 

“Imagine my surprise to look online and see that Yours Truly is trending!” Conner continued his speech. “Can you believe it, my dudes? I don’t know why anyone would be talking about Superboy right now, and I am the one and only Superboy; but while I have all y’all’s attention, have you heard about my little sister?! She’s the new Supergirl, and she’s doing amazing! I know she’s going to do great things!”

Lara blushed as she watched her big brother give her some of the best publicity she had ever received. She found herself giggling at Conner’s antics, even more than usual. She had never felt happier to have him as a sibling.

“So, to all my friends and followers, I’m begging ya! Stop talking about me and spread the word about her!” Conner then lowered his shades and looked straight at the camera. “I’m so proud of you, sis! You have, and will continue to, make us all proud!” He flashed a peace sign and winked at the camera, before it cut off.

“You are a sensation, girl!” said Harper, as she continued to surf the web, finding all kinds of reactions to the new Supergirl’s debut. “The Daily Planet wants to get an interview! Beast Boy live-streamed his reaction! The whole damn world’s talking about you!”

Lara was speechless. This was everything she had dreamed of and more! Not only had all these people welcomed and accepted her as a girl, they were also praising her as a superhero! Her childhood dream of following in her father’s footsteps had come true, and it was all thanks to her discovering her true self.

The young girl looked down at her outfit. It looked and felt amazing on her, now more than ever! She was effectively being bombarded by euphoria from virtually every direction, and it was too much for the poor girl.

Harper could see Lara struggling to process everything, and silently offered her a hug, which the little ballerina graciously accepted. Cass got in on the hug too, and Lara smiled warmly, as a single tear of joy ran down her cheek.


	13. Meet the Moms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lara finally meets Colin’s moms and deals with some of her own doubts.

After a while, Lara was feeling better and helping Cass finish off the leftover food. Aside from some small snacks on the helicopter, Lara hadn’t eaten since Paris, and even then, she had only had sugary pastries. She was in the mood for some good savoury food, and sandwiches from Alfred Pennyworth were just what the Girl of Steel needed.

While Lara, Cass and Harper ate, Damian and Colin provided them with some light entertainment. At least, that was how Colin had described it. Damian, on the other hand, described it as, “An exclusive first-look at an extract from Damian al Ghul Wayne’s magnum opus: The Prince of Gotham!” (He would have continued, had Colin not distracted him with a quick kiss and a plea to not oversell their performance.)

Said performance was… interesting. Lara found it a very different experience to watch ballet, rather than perform it. Damian performed unbelievably well for someone his age, as he did with most things. The young Robin had evidently choreographed the dance to show off his flexibility and acrobatic skills, along with his impeccable sense of balance and timing.

Similarly, Colin’s part, while smaller, definitely played to his strengths, literally. Lara lost count of how many times Colin caught Damian, or lifted him into the air as though he was as light as a feather, sometimes even spinning or balancing him on one hand. 

However, despite all of this, Lara had no clue concerning the actual plot of the ballet. She knew that it was supposedly based off of Damian’s life story, and that Damian had indeed led a bizarre and colourful life, even for a superhero. But trying to decipher any of that from the boys’ dancing was beyond Lara’s comprehension.

Next to Lara, Harper had lost interest after about 30 seconds and was scrolling through Tumblr on her phone. Next to Harper, Cass was watching the show with an amusingly perplexed expression, which given her amazing ability to read body language, certainly said a lot.

Lara was about to discreetly ask Cass if she knew how long the performance had to go, when they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a loud intercom buzzer. “Mr. Wayne?” said a garbled voice on the speakers, making Damian lose focus and stumble out of his pose. “You have guests at the front desk.”

“Oh come on! We were so close to the big finish!” Damian grumbled, almost pouting.

Colin kissed the smaller boy on the cheek, “I’m sorry, hun. It’s probably for me.” He headed over to the intercom by the main doors. “Must be mom and momma coming to pick me up.”

Colin pressed the button on the speaker. “Hi, this is Colin Wilkes. If my moms are here, feel free to send them up.”

“No need, Mr. Wilkes.” replied the secretary. “They’re already on their way up. Mrs. Quinn ran right past the front desk.”

Colin smirked. “Oh, sorry about that. Thanks for letting me know!” He let go of the button, cutting off the feed, and turned to the others. “Well, it looks like we’ve got company!” He looked at Lara. “It’s time for you to meet my moms, Lara!” 

Lara gulped, nervously. Despite Colin’s constant reassurance that Harley Quinn and Ivy had reformed, she was still a little nervous about meeting two former supervillains. Especially when one of them had been an associate of the Joker; one of the most infamously dangerous supervillains to ever live!

“Uhh… I’m not sure if I’m ready…?” said Lara, nervously. “I’m not sure how they’d react to seeing me here. New Supergirl, and all that... y’know?”

Colin smiled as he gave Lara a reassuring smile. “Trust me, Lara. They’re gonna love you, and once you get over the initial shock, you’ll love them two. I guarantee it!”

Lara’s eye’s met Colin’s, and she took a deep breath. “Okay.” she whispered, smiling at her friend, as they heard the elevator doors open in the hallway.

The door to the dance studio burst open, and there stood Colin’s moms, in all their glory; Dr. Harleen Quinzel and Pamela Lillian Isley, AKA Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy!

“Hi, sweetie!” called Harley, as she rushed over to hug her son. “Hope ya don’t mind us droppin’ in like this!” She beamed with pride when she noticed Colin’s outfit. “Ooh, look at my handsome young man! Ya look so darn strappin’ in that outfit, honey!”

“Oh stop it, Harl!” said Ivy, as she walked over to join in the hug. “You’re embarrassing him.” Though Colin didn’t seem to mind. This was apparently normal behaviour for them.

As the two women doted over their son, Lara took the opportunity to try and take in their appearances, as there was a lot to take in. After all, this was the first time being in such close proximity to supervillains, former or not.

Harley Quinn was a plump woman, with incredibly pale skin, and long blonde hair, which she wore in a ponytail with pink-and-blue highlights. She wore a faux fur coat over a scarlet tank top and red-and-black striped pants. On her feet, she wore a pair of red high-heeled boots, along with various jewellery and accessories on her hands, neck and ears. Finally, her face was decorated with very pretty, if somewhat extravagant, makeup, and some bright red winged glasses.

Lara looked to the other woman; the one formally known as Poison Ivy. She was tall and slender, with long red hair and leaf-green skin. In contrast with Harley’s camp outfit, she wore a simple green summer dress and sandals. As Ivy moved across the room, Lara caught the exotic scent of flowers. This wasn’t a surprise, given Ivy’s metahuman ability to control plants, plus the fact that she was practically half-plant herself.

Lara had seen old photos and news footage of the two former villainesses, and they had always come across as eccentric, flamboyant characters, albeit to a psychotic degree. Lara couldn’t help noticing something different about the two women standing before her; they both seemed happier, and more at peace with themselves.

Lara couldn’t help smiling as she watched the couple talk to their son. Colin clearly loved them dearly, and they loved him right back. Suddenly, Lara’s smile froze when she noticed that Ivy was looking at her.

“Uumm… Hi…” said Lara, giving an awkward wave. “I’m Lara.”

“Oh, hi!” said Harley, looking up and noticing Lara. “Harley Quinn! Pleased to meetcha!” She said, walking over and offering a hand for Lara to shake, before pausing. “Say! Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

“Wait a minute…” said Ivy, staring quizically at Lara. “Aren’t you…?”

Lara took another deep breath. There was no use hiding it. She had been on the news just a few hours ago, and was still all over the internet. She might as well come clean.

“Yep.” she said, bluntly. “I’m the new Supergirl. Nice to meet you too.”

There was a brief silence, as Lara anticipated their reactions. Then, Harley exploded.

“OH MY GAWD!!!” She squealed. “HEY, RED! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?” She grabbed her wife by the shoulders, shaking her and pointing at Lara. “IT’S HER!! IT’S REALLY HER!! FROM THE NEWS!!!”

“Harley! Calm down!” said Ivy, although she was also grinning broadly, struggling to contain her excitement.

“See? I told you.” said Colin, sliding over to talk to Lara. “They like you already!”

Lara was too busy processing the reaction she had just gotten to really acknowledge what Colin had said. It had felt weird enough when Harper had been excited to meet her, but this was a whole new level. This was Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy; Two former supervillains! And they were fangirling over Lara, like she was the most amazing person they’d ever met. The young heroine didn’t know where to begin.

Fortunately, Colin spoke for her. “Mom, Momma?” he said, managing to get their attention. “I’d like you to meet Lara, AKA Supergirl.” He gestured to Lara, who smiled nervously, and gave a little curtsey. 

“Y’know how I told you that Dami had been training a new hero?” Colin continued. “And that I’ve been helping with that? Well… here she is!” He paused, as he noticed Lara’s outfit. “Oh, and she’s also been learning ballet with us.”

There was another pause, before Harley exploded again. “HOLY MOLEY!!” she yelled, literally jumping for joy. “OUR KID IS FRIENDS WITH SUPERGIRL!!!”

Ivy rolled her eyes, and gave Lara and Colin an apologetic smile.

“Hey!” huffed Damian, appearing next to his boyfriend. “Your son has been dating Robin; The Son of Batman for years! How come I never got this reception?”

“Oh, hey kiddo.” said Harley casually, apparently having only just noticed Damian. “Don’t worry! You’re great too.” She ruffled his hair, before turning her attention back to Lara. “But Supergirl is freakin’ Supergirl!”

“Harley, darling!” said Ivy, before Damian could retort. “Why don’t you go wait outside for a minute or two?” She placed a hand on her shoulder. “Just to calm yourself down. I’m sure these two won’t mind accompanying you...” She gestured to Cass and Harper, still seated on the bench.

“Yeah we don’t mind.” Harper got up from her seat, pulling Cassandra up with her. “Harley is always good for a laugh.” Cass commented something in sign language that Lara couldn’t make out, but was very surprised to see Harley respond with equally fluent and quick ASL. The three women left the room having a very spirited but completely silent conversation.

Colin nodded proudly, seeing how this hidden skill had surprised his friend. “Mom’s full of secrets and talents. A lot of people forget she’s also a doctor.”

“What was she saying?” Lara asked.

“If I had to guess, embarrassing stories about either Batman or Colin.” Ivy said with a smile.

“I’ll be right back.” Damian said casually, trying to sneak off.

“No you won’t, hun.” Colin’s tone was oddly firm as he grabbed his boyfriend and held him in place. 

“Tt, fine.” said Damian, knowing better than to fight against Colin’s strength. “I’ll just hear the stories from Cassandra later.”

Ivy smiled and turned her attention back to Lara. “You’ll have to forgive my wife’s enthusiasm. dear. She can go a little overboard when she’s excited. But I just wanted to say for both of us how amazing you did earlier today! The world is rooting for you, and anyone who isn’t, isn’t worth your attention.”

The plant-woman knelt down to Lara’s eye-level, and Lara was touched by the genuine warmth in Ivy’s expression. “You can trust me on this one. The people who try to tear you down aren’t worth a pile of fertilizer.”

“I… thank you so much Mrs. Isley.” Lara paused in thought, wondering if that was what she preferred to be called. She wasn’t sure if her last name was Quinn, or if Harley had taken Ivy’s name, or what.

“Ivy’s fine, dear.” She insisted with a kind smile. “Colin has told us a lot about you. If you need to talk about girl things, either of us is available at any time.”

Lara was rather taken aback by how incredibly friendly this pretty former villainess was being. “Listen Mrs… Ivy. I… I feel like I might own you and Harley an apology.”

“Whatever for dear? We’ve just met.”

“I know… that’s kind of my point... I had heard stories of who you… who you used to be.” Lara looked down at her feet, bashfully. “I... I had an image in my head of what you’d be like… I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions and misjudging you. You are so nice! Colin is lucky to have you.”

Ivy’s smile was warm as ever, “Thank you for saying that Supergirl, but you have nothing to apologize for. In fact, you’ve shown us more kindness and consideration than hundreds of people much older than you. I know that my past actions often color people’s opinion of me. But as I said, the real people who matter eventually understand that we’ve changed.”

They looked up when they heard the door open again, expecting to see Harley coming back in, but instead, Superman entered the studio. “Hi kids, Pamela, good to see you.”

Ivy smiled and waved to the Kryptonian, “Good to see you too, Clark.”

“Dad! How…? Wait?” Lara looked back and forth between her father and Ivy. “How do you know dad’s name?”

Ivy’s face turned a darker shade of green, which Lara recognized as blushing. “Well… Like I said, there’s a lot of… not so nice things in my past.” Ivy chose her words carefully. “Among them a few times I… may or may not have… used pheromones to control minds… You sometimes find out some sensitive information that way, even if you weren’t planning to.” 

Clark smiled. “It’s all in the past, Pamela. If Bruce trusts you with his secrets, then I know I have nothing to fear about you and Harley knowing mine.”

“Thanks, Clark.” said Ivy. “How’re you and Lois doing? You must be so proud of your daughter!”

“We couldn’t be happier!” said Clark, beaming with pride at Lara, who beamed right back. “Lois is just outside, talking to the others.”

“Mom’s here too?!” said Lara, wondering how many more people were planning to drop in unexpectedly. 

“Yep, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you. You were amazing today!” said Clark. “By the way, you look beautiful in that outfit, sweetie!”

Lara blushed, wondering if Cass and Damian would be ok with letting her keep the outfit. Just then, she heard a muffled ‘Awwww’ from behind the door, and attuned her Kryptonian ears to the voices outside in the hallway.

She heard the voice of her mother, talking to Harley. “What are they doing out there?” Lara wondered aloud, before hearing two words that made her freeze with realization; “Baby photos!” Lara repeated, rushing to the door.

Lois and Harley were sharing photos alright, but it was Harley showing her own pictures. She had her phone out and was scrolling through what must have been a very large photo gallery “Here’s from the first day we brought Colin home! Even then he was so handsome!”

Lois once again ‘awed’ at the pictures, just in time for a mortified Colin to come up behind Lara “Mom! You said you weren’t going to show those in public anymore!”

“I said I’d TRY not to show them in public. There are times when the urge to gush about my son is too strong!” The pale woman corrected with a smile. “Lara, you wanna see the pictures too?”

“Yes please!” Lara flew off the ground to get away from Colin before he could stop her and saw the picture from above. It showed Harley and Ivy standing together in front of a modest looking Gotham apartment building. Between them the two women were hugging… well, they were hugging Colin just slightly younger than he was now. 

“Look how handsome my little Red was!” Harley cooed proudly.

“Mom! Stop it!” Colin called out, blushing as red as his hair. 

Lara was still a little confused, but Harley’s delight and Colin’s embarrassment were still wonderful, and they made her smile. “How long ago was this?”

“Two years ago.” Harley smiled warmly, “The best two years of our lives. Well, best so far. It can always get better.” She chuckled, finally putting the pictures away and kneeling down to hug her embarrassed son.

“And now, it’s my turn to embarrass you, Sweetie!” Lois grabbed Lara out of the air and hugged her tight, catching Lara off-guard.

“Mooomm!” said Colin and Lara together, as they both received copious amounts of motherly affection.

“Oh Princess!” said Lois, ignoring her daughter's protests and hugging tighter. “You were so amazing today! The press loved you, the public wants to know everything about you, and the Daily Planet has me writing an article about you for the front page for tomorrow morning!” She let go so that she could look Lara in the eye. “Also, I’m sure I’m not the first one to say it, but you look so pretty in that outfit, honey!”

Lara was still blushing from the public affection. “Thanks mom… Wait, did you say you are gonna write an article about me? I’m front page news?!”

“You bet you are, princess!” Lois kissed her daughter quickly on her forehead. “Right now Perry just wants me to report about the press conference, but since I’m the “Superman expert”” she said in air quotes, “He wants me to work on getting a private one on one interview with Supergirl for next week’s Sunday edition!”

Perry White, chief editor of the Daily Planet, was an old friend of the family, as well as Lois and Clark’s boss. Despite his tough, no-nonsense reputation, the man had always had a soft spot for Lara.

“That’th tho cool!” Lara exclaimed, lisping in her excitement, glad to hear that Perry was supportive of the new Supergirl. 

She then felt her spirits deflating a little. Well sure, Perry was supportive of Supergirl, and had a very big soft spot for “Jon”, but would he feel the same about Lara Kent? What about the rest of the Planet staff? Or her non-superhero friends in school? The world was loving Supergirl, but would they treat her differently when she came out as Lara Kent?

“Hey sugar, you ok?” Harley asked, her professional experience allowing her to notice the mood shift.

“Yeah…” sighed Lara. “Yeah, just a lot happening today. A lot running through my head.”

Lois pulled back, giving the girl some room to breath. “Maybe you’re just tired from so much excitement?” she suggested. “You’ve had a long day, princess. Do you wanna start heading home?”

Lara hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, sure.” she said. “I was thinking of flying home with Dad. How are you getting back?”

“Same way I came.” Lois responded. “Teleporter pod. Having Superman for a husband has its perks.”

“You got access to a teleporter pod?!” gasped Harley. “Any chance I could get a ride in one of those?”

“You’d need to ask Clark.” Lois said with a smile.

“It is really cool.” Lara commented with a small smile, totally understanding Harley’s excitement.

“Thanks girls!” said Harley, running back into the studio. Lara overheard Harley talking to Clark. “Hey Supes! Lois said that I could use the teleporter if I asked nicely! Can I? Pretty please?!”

Lois, Lara and Colin followed Harley back into the studio, where they saw her pleading with Superman, while Ivy watched, amused by her wife’s behaviour. Cass and Harper had presumably headed off to the changing rooms, and Damian was sitting on one of the benches, looking rather bored. Colin headed over to sit with his boyfriend, which seemed to cheer Damian up a little.

Clark gave his wife a small smile before answering Harley’s question. “I suppose we could grant you access just this one time. Though we’d need to get you three your own access codes, if you wanted to continue using the system.” 

Harley began building up to another squee of excitement but Ivy shot it down quickly, “If you even think about making a “Beam me up, Scotty” joke sweetie, you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” It was clearly a joke but it had the desired effect.

Harley immediately deflated and pouted “No fair, Red! Do you always have to be the fun police? You know that’s the worst kind of police!”

“Oh you still love me.” The green woman chuckled, kissing her wife on the cheek.

Clark gave a little nod to Lara, trying to give her the hint to start making their way out. He kissed Lois and smiled “Race you back to the apartment? Flight vs teleporter?”

“You’re on, Kent.” Lois chuckled, “Last one there does dishes.

Spurred on by the thought of getting out of chores, Lara quickly headed off to the changing rooms to change back into her Supergirl costume.

About 10 minutes later, Lara was back in her Supergirl outfit, and had just finished saying goodbye to all her friends. Damian and Cass had agreed to let Lara keep her ballet outfit, so the girl was in particularly high spirits.

“Ready, Lara?” asked Clark, as they stood on the balcony, outside the studio.

“Ready dad!” cheered Supergirl, “Let’s go!”

Clark waved goodbye to everyone and took Lara by the hand, flying her up into the evening sky, and back towards Metropolis.

In the end, Lara had won the race. Clark had held back, supposedly to help a kitten out of a tree, and Lois had taken her time talking with Harley and Ivy before teleporting them and Colin home. Regardless of her previous warning, Ivy had been unable to resist calling Lois “Scotty” as the teleporter had kicked on, granting her fake outraged grunts from Harley. Lois had also arrived home with Lara’s ballet costume and the rest of Alfred’s cookies, which Cass had insisted Lois take with her.

Having already eaten plenty of snacks, Lara only ate a small dinner, and spent the rest of the evening chilling out on the couch, watching TV with her parents.  
________________________________________________________________

Hours later and back in her room, Lara lay down on her bed in her pyjamas, exhausted from the day’s activities. 

So many things had happened that she couldn’t believe it was all only in a single day; A trip to Paris, the press conference, coming out as Supergirl, and ballet with her best friends... Lara was going to cherish all these memories forever. 

But there were still thoughts that troubled her... Thinking back on that trip to France, and that boy she met; Thomas. She couldn’t stop wondering why she had kissed him.

Lara knew that it was just a way of saying “thank you”, but somewhere in her mind, she was stuck with the idea that she might have done it for other reasons... She tried to stay rational, but it stayed there, making her feel worse about herself. It was an intrusive thought that she didn’t want to listen to; What if she did all this just to pretend she was a girl?

She had to admit, kissing that boy was not something she would have done before. She certainly wouldn’t have done it if she was presenting as “Jon”. She would never have had the confidence. So what was the reason she had so spontaneously decided to kiss Thomas on the cheek? It was just so... clichee.

And so, just like that, Lara started doubting herself, questioning her own validity as a trans girl, wondering if she was really trans or only faking. A single, simple action in her day had now shattered her good mood, making herself feel lost... It was right at this time that Lois knocked at the door, making the poor girl jump.

“Lara? Are you still awake?” Lois whispered, coming into the room slowly, avoiding making any noise. Expecting her princess to be sleeping, she was surprised to find her sitting and mourning on her own bed, which worried her a bit.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Are you okay, Lara? You sound... upset...” She said, concerned about what might be going through her daughter’s mind.

“It’s okay, mom I just...” She started blushing again “Well first, I have a thing to tell you, but please don’t react too much. It’s really not important.”

“I won’t say a thing, I promise.” Lois smiled, reassuringly.

“Well, you know that Dad and I went to Paris this morning, right? And we went to that restaurant he saved all those years ago?” Lara paused, struggling to recall all the details. “When we ate there, there was a boy around my age, and he gave me a cake; “Paris-Brest” he called it.” Lara grinned, as she thought of the happy memory.

“It was really good, so right before leaving, I rushed in and... kissed his cheek.” Lara finished her story, blushing out of embarrassment. 

Lois gave a small chuckle, as she tried to comfort Lara. “Oh Lara, how assertive of you! That’s a bold move, but if you’re worried that I’d be mad, I can assure you it’s fine...”

“Thanks mom, but it’s not really like that…” Lara heaved a sigh, as she got to the uncomfortable part. “I just feel like it was forced, y’know? That I did it just to feel more like a girl... But I know that being a girl isn’t really tied to doing things like this, so I don’t know why I did it! Or why I feel bad for doing it... I don’t know what to think.” Lara’s voice started shaking, and she looked away from Lois to avoid eye-contact. 

Lois thought for a moment then smiled tenderly at Lara, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Let me tell you another story of mine, from when I was younger. Do you remember those pictures I showed you, a few days ago? Dressed in punk gear, and all that...” 

Lara looked up at Lois with her eyes shining, excited to hear more of her mom’s teen years. 

“At that time, the reason I did that was because I wasn’t able to connect well with being a normal girl.” Lois held Lara’s hand as she continued. “My parents were very strict on gender roles, so as I grew up, I was always treated and pampered like a princess, and this was getting on my nerves. When I was about fifteen, I made some drastic changes, and you know how it turned out.”

Lara grinned as she remembered Lois’s old photos.

“I was really happy at that time, because it was like I got the freedom that I needed so much during my childhood. But when I was nineteen, I got rid of all of it.”

Lara looked at her mom in disbelief. She had looked so great in her punk outfits that the young girl couldn’t understand what could have convinced her to stop so suddenly. “But why?” she asked.

“I finally understood that it didn’t suit me. It wasn’t me. I was doing it because I was angry at femininity, but I realized that the problem wasn’t “being girly”. It was my parents.”

Lara was lost. What was her mom suggesting to her? Was she supposed to be angry at her and Dad? “But... It’s not your fault. You’ve forced nothing on me, I can’t be mad at you.”

Hearing this, Lois chuckled “Oh, sweetie. I’m not saying you should. In your case, it’s probably not us at fault. Or if it is, then I hope you’ll tell us. But society also plays a part in your life, and it’s responsible for a lot of difficulties that kids like you go through.”

Lois’s eyes met Lara’s, as she carried on talking. “I remember in the barn, when you were so upset. Trying to tell us who you really were. After that, I thought about what I had done wrong. How could it be so hard for you to tell us this despite all our efforts to not force anything on you? We’ve probably made some mistakes, but all this fear? It’s pretty much always caused by things out of our control.”

Lara looked up at her mother “I don’t see where you’re going with this... I mean... Yeah, we all make mistakes. I thought I was a boy for years, and so did everyone else. But it’s not really fair to call them mistakes though... 

“If we had known the truth, you can be sure it would’ve been easier.” Said Lois with a simple caring smile. 

Lara looked back, trying to smile through the tears that were trying to come back. “I still don’t know what to think about the whole kiss thing...” She sighed.

Lois stayed silent for a moment, rubbing Lara’s back. She needed to think of her answer, to try and give her the best advice she could. “What I meant about my punk phase is... You were in a situation where someone forced something on you, and because you didn’t suspect this someone to be the cause of your problems, you started to hate the situation itself. You needed to aim your frustration at something. In my case it was my parents, and femininity.”

Lois looked down at her daughter. “But in your case, it’s society, and masculinity. You might feel tempted to avoid doing anything that would make you look masculine, and do everything to make you look feminine. But you shouldn't do that if it makes you feel bad. Just act as yourself, sweetie, and take the time you need to explore, even if it means trying out stereotypes.”

Lara looked at her mom in confusion. “I don’t understand.You say I should avoid stereotypes, but that I should try stereotypes?” 

Lois sighed and hugged her daughter, thinking back again on how to say it clearly. “It’s not about what you do. It’s about what you like. You’re a trans girl, so you’ll be tempted to try anything feminine, even things you end up disliking. But it’s not about femininity, it’s about happiness. And if what you like is being stereotypical, then so be it. Because you won’t be forcing yourself, you will be doing it because you want to.”

Lois breathed a sigh, hoping that she had been clear enough. She smiled at Lara “So now, tell me honey, did you like that kiss? What did you kiss him for?”

Lara took some time to answer. It was late and she was still processing the long and confusing speech that her mom had just given to her. “I suppose... I don’t think I forced myself to do it. I just wanted to thank him, and that was what I thought of. I was thinking about being feminine, for sure... but not about how to be. I was just happy to be a girl.” 

Lara smiled and sighed, both tired and relieved. It had been a long day for her, and a huge weight had just been lifted off her shoulders. “Thank you.” she mumbled, cuddling her mom as she rested her head against Lois’ arm.

Lois held her for a minute, letting them have a sweet moment together before bedtime. As she started to move, slowly getting out of Lara’s grip, she noticed that the young girl had fallen asleep. Gazing sweetly at her daughter, Lois held her like a princess and lay her under the covers, putting her to bed with a kiss on her forehead.

She headed out of the room, glancing back at Lara, sleeping peacefully. She turned off the light and closed the door. “Goodnight, Supergirl.” she whispered.


	14. Back on the Farm

The sun rose bright and warm the next morning, much to the delight of the citizens of Metropolis. As Lara yawned and stretched herself awake, she already felt so happy for the day to come. Today would be her first morning on patrol as Supergirl, alongside her dad. 

Then that afternoon, they were heading for Smallville to visit Ma and Pa Kent. Sure it was technically to make up for her outburst the previous week, but it was still great to see them. Maybe after she finished working with Grandpa, Lara could have a chat with Grandma, girl-to-girl.

Then, that evening… well… then it would be back home to get ready for school the next morning. Lara had practically forgotten about school. Her mom had only bought her the week off, but tomorrow morning it would be back to Reeve-West Academy, where she would either need to come out to her entire school or get used to being called her deadname again, and pretending she was a boy.

She let out a sigh and got out of bed. That was a problem she could deal with later. She almost considered asking her parents if she could be homeschooled and just always be Supergirl, but she couldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be fair to her school friends for one thing. They were the one thing she missed about her time out of class. 

She smiled, thinking about her friends; Isabele Issacs and Laurence Stamp. They were her only friends her age, outside of the whole superhero business. With Damian in another grade, they were the only people at the school who she regularly hung out with. 

They were the three misfits of the prep school. As a student there on a scholarship (from her Uncle Bruce), Lara wasn’t too popular with all the Metropolis trust fund kids. Isabelle was a very shy and quiet girl who didn’t interact with most other girls at the school. Finally, Laurence was often antisocial and overly-analytical, even among the other smart rich kids. They may have been misfits, but they all had each other. Lara smiled even wider to herself. She wouldn’t wait long to come out to her friends. They’d still love and respect her… she hoped. Maybe she could tell them first?

Lara continued this train of thought all the way to the breakfast table, where her dad was sitting, in full Superman gear, drinking coffee and reading the Daily Planet. Upon seeing the paper, Lara remembered what Lois had said the night before. “Morning Dad! Is… Is that the paper with mom’s article?” She sat down and found a breakfast of french toast and orange juice already waiting for her.

“Yes it is. I was just finishing the story myself.” Clark smiled and handed her the paper. “Mom went back into work after you went to bed last night, to make sure this was published on time. Best we let her catch up on her sleep. It’s been a while since she pulled an all-nighter.” 

Lara briefly glanced towards her parents bedroom and smiled. Knowing that Lois had worked so hard to get the story published, especially after the conversation they had had last night, made Lara feel truly blessed to have such an amazing mom.

She then turned her attention to the newspaper. There she was, front and center on the cover of the Daily Planet; a series of pictures of Supergirl flying over the stage and posing triumphantly. Above the pictures was the headline “The Next Supergirl Speaks to the World”. 

“Speaks to the world?” Lara repeated in her head. “Kind of an overly dramatic start, mom.” She smiled and continued to read. There were some brief mentions of Kara’s rebranding as Power Girl (with more information on page 3), but Lara’s appearance and subsequent coming out had taken up most of the front page. Lara saw most of her own words repeated in the article and couldn’t help but feel a warmth sense of pride filling her.

She read the end of the article aloud, “Though Supergirl only spoke briefly in her first appearance yesterday, it is clear that Metropolis and the world should expect great things from this young hero, and this reporter is excited to see what our new junior heroine has in store.” Lara was on the verge of happy tears and wished that mom was awake so she could hug her right now. Recognizing the need, Clark held his arms open, letting Lara fly into his embrace. They just enjoyed the closeness, neither needing to speak.

________________________________________________________________

After a hurried breakfast, quick cleanup and a costume change, Lara was Supergirl once again, and was flying through the early morning sky of Metropolis right beside her father. Much like in France, people waved and called to them as they flew by.

Everyone was being so warm and friendly, even if from afar, but while they looked for something to do, Lara remembered something else. “Hey dad, I’m curious, what did the other news groups say about me last night?” She had wanted to stay up for the 11 oclock stories but Dad had insisted she needed to sleep for an early start the next day.

Clark smiled “You were a star on all of them, princess! Glowing words of support from almost everyone!”

“Almost?” Lara repeated. They landed quickly when they saw a little girl crying that her cat was in a tree. Clark comforted the girl and Lara got to hold the kitty as he was flown back to the ground. 

Only once the girl had thanked them both and they had flown back into the sky did Clark renew the conversation. “Well… You’ll probably find out before too long… There’s one news program that really has it in for people like us.”

“...Godfree?” Lara felt a sense of unease at the thought “G. Gordon Godfree was talking about me?” 

Godfree was a silver-tongued extremist with his own conspiracy theorist news site. He was always ranting about how the super humans were going to oppress the people of the world, and how they all had a secret hidden agenda to create as much chaos as they fixed. He was unfortunately very popular. She had seen clips of the horrible things he had said about her father, the Martians, the Green Lanterns, and even the Amazons. She was actually kind of impressed she had gotten the jerk’s attention on her first day as a superhero. 

“That’s the one.” said Clark, grimly. “Not enough that he felt the need to go after my daughter, but the things he said about you....” Lara noticed her dad clench his fists just a little tighter. It was rare for him to show any signs of anger with people, but Godfree had obviously crossed a line.

“I was a little worried about you seeing it, actually.” said Clark. “Apparently, he was trying to get some hurtful things trending on the internet. Luckily, it seems you have enough fans to deal with that sort of thing.”

Just then, Lara realised something, and actually laughed, surprising her dad “Oh my god! So that’s why Conner did it!” 

“Conner? What did he do now?” Clark asked, a little worried that his son had put a flaming bag of Krypto’s leavings on Godfree’s front porch.

“You didn’t see his TikTok video?” 

“His what?” said Clark, feeling somewhat out of touch. “Is Conner making lip sync videos again? I know there’s a Ke$ha song…”

“No dad, not that TikTok.” Lara said with a giggle. She landed on a rooftop and asked for her Dad’s phone, quickly bringing up the video. Both father and daughter couldn’t help but laugh at Conner’s antics.

“That was very sweet of him. Is all of this “TikTok” stuff like this?” Clark asked.

Lara could almost imagine the multitude of dad jokes her dad would make if he had his own profile, and smiled, “Something like that. It’s more…” She paused, “Dad, did you hear breaking glass?” She looked about and tried to listen hard for where it came from.

“Someone might have dropped a plate or something…” All the same, Clark too was listening.

“There!” Lara got a fix on the source of the sound and flew off quickly to a dark side street, finding a sleazy-looking man trying to force open the door of a car with a crowbar. “Need a little help mister?” Lara asked playfully. 

The criminal jumped and turned, crowbar in hand. He paused, looking for Lara higher up than she was before looking down. “Heh… The new Supergirl? Move it kid, before you get hurt.” He actually had the nerve to turn back to the car and resume his jimmying.

“Hey! Stop that!” She called, flying over the car and snatching the bar out of his hand. Even then this guy didn’t seem to see her as a threat.

“Oh fly off, Wonder Tot!” The man sneered, as Lara hovered out of his reach. “What’s a little thing like you going to do to me?”

“Well, for one she could distract you until I get here.” They both looked up to see Superman flying in. 

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” The crook threw up his hands. “Don’t you have anything better to do than harass little guys like us, you piece of ...” Clark glared at the man, inferring him to watch his language when children were present. 

“...You... big... boy scout.” mumbled the crook, who slowly seemed to be realising just how out of his depth he really was.

“Don’t sell yourself short, sir!” said Clark, in a jovial, yet still somewhat threatening tone. “You’re not just a little guy. You’ve given my daughter her very first crime to foil!” He nodded to Lara who easily bent the crowbar she was holding in half. “Oh and just a reminder; Never underestimate my little girl.”

Lara folded her arms, and glared at the crook, hoping that she was pulling off the right levels of toughness needed for a superhero pose.

The crook gulped. “Hey, look… Ya got me. I don’t want any trouble.” He grinned, uneasily. “I promise, I won’t do it again… I mean, technically… I didn’t even get the car open, so…” He trailed off, looking nervously between the father-daughter duo.

Lara looked the man in the eyes, and held up a finger. “First warning.” she said, in what she hoped wasn’t a too threatening tone. 

“You got it Supergirl!” Still terrified and unsure what to do, the man actually saluted both father and daughter before running off as fast as he could.

Lara retained her cool pose and attitude till he was a good way down the street, then she positively squealed in delight. “My first foiled crime! And he called me a girl too!”

Clark couldn’t help but chuckle as Lara excitedly flew several loops and spins in the air. “You did wonderful princess!” He pulled out a business card from his pocket and quickly put it under the car’s windshield before flying up to hug Lara.

“What was that?” She asked, pointing to the card. 

Clark pulled a few from his pocket and handed them to her. The card read “JLA Damage Relief.” With several phone numbers on one side. On the other side was a note, “Our apologies, this damage was done by criminals or while stopping criminal activities. Please call for reimbursement, repair or complaints. Have a nice day.”

“Huh… so that’s what happens to the cars thrown at giant robots.” Lara had always wondered who paid for the damages.

“Yep,” Clark agreed as they flew off again. “Between Wayne Industries, Queen Consolidated and Star Labs, the damage never takes long to clean up… but try not to make a habit of breaking things, ok sweetie? I’ve had to give your brother a talking-to about his damage bills before.”

“I’ll try, dad…. Oh hold on a sec!” She flew back the way they had come and quickly returned, holding the bent crowbar. “First crime! Gotta have a souvenir.”  
________________________________________________________________

The morning went on much the same from there. Flying around the city, helping citizens in little ways. Find a lost dog, help an old lady across the street, break up a fight between teenagers; Metropolis seemed very quiet today. Even if it wasn’t exciting, Lara still loved it. Everyone she met was so nice, so happy to see her, and she hadn’t been misgendered once! 

Shortly after midday, they stopped back at the apartment for Lara to change and get ready to travel to Smallville. Lois was awake by this point but still in her pajamas with bed hair, slowly sipping a massive mug of coffee. “Morning sweetie. Morning dear.” She said with a yawn.

“Hi mom! Are you feeling ok? You never sleep this late!” Lara asked, her concern being the only thing keeping her from gushing happily over her first patrol.

“Oh I’m fine. I just haven’t had to work that hard or late since I covered Bruce and Selina’s wedding.” She yawned again, trying to shake herself awake a little, since the coffee seemed slow to kick in.

“You sure you’re alright, Lois?” asked Clark. “You were coming up on 24 hours without sleep last night.”

“I’m fiiine.” said Lois, wearily. “A couple more gallons of coffee, and I’ll be right as rain.” She smiled at Lara, who giggled a little at the remark. “I’m sorry, princess. I know you wanna tell me all about your first patrol, but mommy’s not exactly in the right headspace right now.”

Lara’s smile faded a little, prompting Lois to pull her into a hug. “You can tell me all about it when you get back from Grandma and Grandpa's,” said Lois. “I promise I’ll hang on your every word! I’m so proud of you. My little Supergirl!”

Lara’s smile returned as she heard her mother’s loving words. After about a minute of hugging, they parted, and Lara skipped off to her room to get changed. Lois returned to her coffee, and Clark began brewing a second pot.  
________________________________________________________________

After a quick light lunch, Lara and Clark left the apartment and headed over to the teleporter booth. This time, Clark just sent Lara, with a hug and a kiss, on her own through the teleporter. He knew she could handle it on her own, especially with Ma and Pa Kent waiting at the other end.

Lara had chosen to wear shorts and an old Wonder Woman t-shirt to work in. It felt strange to not wear a skirt after a few days, but she had to think practically for the chores around the farm.

She waved to her dad before stepping into the transporter and teleporting off to Kansas in the blink of an eye. She smiled, finding herself once again in the Kent family barn… Wow… things had changed so much since her last visit. She was interrupted from her thoughts by the barn door opening and her grandma and grandpa coming through to greet her.

“Hello sweetie!” Ma Kent called out, walking right up to her granddaughter and hugging her. Pa Kent stood back a little, but came in for his own hug.

“How's my favorite superhero doing?” He asked, playfully ruffling her hair.

“I’m your favorite grandpa? I’m telling dad!” Lara giggled before fixing her hair.

Jonathan looked at his wife gravely “Oh we can’t have her telling Clark my secret. Think we should buy her silence?”

Martha nodded just as seriously, “I think you might be right.” She leaned in towards Lara, “What do you say to this dearie; you keep that secret to yourself, and instead of filling holes with Conner, you can spend the day baking cookies with me?”

“Conner’s here too?” said Lara.

“Yep!” said Martha, “And he’s brought Tim and Stephanie too, so obviously, they’re gonna need some homemade cookies. They’re very excited to see you, by the way. We all watched you on the news yesterday dearie. You were amazing!”

Lara took her time to digest all the new information “You want me to help you with baking?... But wait, what about the floor I messed up?” She wasn’t sure why she was looking a gift horse in the mouth, but she couldn’t stop the question.

Pa Kent chuckled and shrugged “Oh you know how it is… The floor damage was in a high traffic area. Felt it was better to go ahead and fix it myself than wait a week for you to come help…”

Lara couldn’t help but smile. This was so nice of them! Regardless of what grandpa said, she knew they had chosen to go easy on her. “Hmm so my options are baking cookies or digging holes? I hope Conner can forgive me, but baking with grandma is too good an offer to pass up! I’ll take the deal.”

“Excellent choice!” Martha said, taking Lara by the hand and leading her towards the barn door. 

It was at this point that Lara realised, to her annoyance, that she had chosen to wear work clothes for nothing. Now that she knew she’d be spending the day in the kitchen with grandma, she wished that she had decided to wear something more fashionable, like her summer dress.

Her spirits were lifted however, when the barn door flew open and Conner rushed in to greet them, closely followed by his significant others; Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown, AKA the heroes, Red Robin and Spoiler; both of whom were former Robins, and in Steph’s case, Batgirl too.

“Lara!” called Conner, as he ran over to hug his sister. “Great to see you, kid! How’s it feel to be an official Superhero?”

“It’s great!” replied Lara, “Me and dad stopped a carjacker this morning! Dad let me keep the crowbar!”

“Nice!” said Conner, high-fiving Lara. “Gotta have a souvenir for your first day of hero-ing!”

“Hey kiddo!” said Steph, as she and Tim appeared, either side of Conner. “We saw on the news yesterday. You were so brave!”

“We’re really proud of you Lara!” said Tim. “Steph and I were talking to the rest of the Bats this morning. Damian and Cass wouldn’t stop gushing about you!”

Lara smiled up at her brother’s boyfriend and girlfriend. She had known them since she was little, but this was her first time meeting them as her true self. It was wonderful to see how accepting they were, especially seeing how they had, apparently, come all the way out to Kansas to see her. 

“Oh and Lara! We got someone else that wants to say how proud they are of you…” Conner smiled mischievously and whistled, receiving a loud bark in answer. 

Lara was delighted when a large white dog in a bright red collar came running into the barn and right up to her. “Krypto! Hey buddy!” she got down on her knees to be on the dog’s level, only to be pounced to the floor by the overly friendly animal. Lara was a fit of giggles as the dog licked her face and wagged his tail. Maybe it was better that she wasn’t wearing her good dress today after all.

“Up boy, give her some space.” Conner said, trying not to laugh. The dog let Lara back up, but didn’t go too far, knowing correctly that Lara would give him lots of pets and scratch him behind his ears if he stayed close. “I could just tell looking at him that he wanted to come congratulate you too sis. If this dog could talk…”

Tim and Steph exchanged a look at that trailed off remark. It had been a bit of a running joke between the two what Krypto would say if he could talk. Having been made in the same laboratory as Conner, some could argue that the dog was smarter than the boy, but they were both equally loyal and affectionate. 

“Thanks for bringing him Conner! Getting to spend time with this good boy is the only way today could get better!” She said, hugging the dog around his neck.

Jonathan somewhat reluctantly held open the barn door “Come on everyone, we got work to do. The quicker it’s done, the quicker we can have cookies and play with the dog more.

The group couldn’t dispute the logic of that and split up. Conner, Grandpa, Tim and Steph headed to the fields, and Martha led Lara to the farmhouse, and into the kitchen, with Krypto following close behind. 

In the kitchen, the ingredients for Ma Kent’s triple chocolate chip cookies were set out on the counter. “I figured it was time you learnt an old family secret.” grinned Martha. “Who better to share my secret cookie recipe with, than my own granddaughter!”

Lara grinned, both at the validation of being called Martha’s granddaughter, as well as the prospect of delicious cookies. She quickly threw on an apron and began helping her grandma with the mixture.  
________________________________________________________________

It took a little longer than usual to get the cookies ready for baking; Martha made sure Lara was observing every step. But soon enough, the pans were in the oven, and Lara headed outside to check up on Conner’s progress. Martha stayed behind to keep an eye on the cookies, while Krypto curled up on a rug next to the warm stove.

She walked out onto the porch to find Tim and Steph sitting on the bench, with homemade lemonade provided by Martha. They were both watching Conner with great interest.

Lara followed their gaze, and saw that Conner and Grandpa had apparently finished filling in the craters, and had moved on to other farm work. Conner was carrying a stack of hay bales on his shoulders, and loading them onto a trailer, while Jonathan directed him. Despite the fact that even a stack that large would weigh almost nothing to a Kryptonian, Conner had taken his shirt off and was flexing his muscles as he moved. 

Lara looked back and forth between her brother and the two young adults on the bench. It took her a moment to realise what was going on. They were… how would Kara put it? Enjoying the show? Grown-ups could be so weird, and those two with the lemonade hadn’t even been grown-ups for long. Lara rolled her eyes, quietly hoping that she wouldn’t be like that as she got older.

“Hey guys!” said Lara, and Tim and Steph both jumped as they noticed Lara watching them. “Grandma says the cookies will be ready in half an hour. Whatcha doing out here?”

Tim seemed hesitant to answer, but Steph quickly spoke over him. “Oh nothing! We were just taking a break.” She nudged Tim, who nodded in agreement. 

“Actually, if you’re done in the kitchen...” said Steph, with the tone of somebody desperately trying to change the subject. “Me and Tim have something to show you, if you want?” She stood up and moved towards the door, gesturing for Lara and Tim to follow.

“Sure.” said Lara, wondering what this could be, as she followed the pair into the living room. She spotted a nylon bag on the sofa that she hadn’t noticed before, presumably belonging to Steph, who picked it up and turned to Lara with an excited grin.

“So Lara!” she began, with a dramatic flair. “We hear that Damian has been showing you the basics when it comes to looking pretty.”

This got Lara’s attention, and she now had a pretty good idea as to what was in the bag. She began to get excited.

“I’m sure Damian showed you some good beginner’s tips,” Steph continued. “But maybe you’re ready for some more advanced stuff?”

“And who better to show you,” said Tim “than two of the greatest cosplayers in the hero community!”

Steph emptied the contents of the bag onto the coffee table, revealing it to be a very large and colourful makeup kit. 

Lara looked absolutely delighted. “Thank you!” She squealed, hugging them both around the waist. She then remembered something as she looked at Tim. “Hey Tim, can I ask you something?” she asked. 

“Sure, what’s up?” Tim replied, as he sat down on the sofa with his girlfriend, and invited Lara to sit next to him.

Lara took her seat, wondering how best to phrase her question. “So… I was talking to Damian the other day...” she began, “We were trying out some outfits that he had bought, and he said something about you…”

Tim smiled, “I think I see where this is going. Was it, by any chance, a remark about looking better than me in girl clothes?”

Lara blinked, surprised at how accurately Tim had predicted her words, and how casually he had said them. “Uhh… Yeah. That’s pretty much what he said.”

Tim pulled out his phone, and opened his photo album. “Have a look for yourself, and you decide who looks better.”

Lara stared at the photos. There were hundreds of them! Mostly couples costumes, but some solo pictures too. One showed Tim, Conner and Steph as Sora, Riku and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts. Another looked like all three of them were in Deadpool costumes, Tim and Steph only distinguishable with one having a long blond ponytail sticking out of the back of her mask. 

Lara paused at the next picture; another Marvel themed event. It showed Conner as Quicksilver, Steph as Scarlet Witch, and a very pretty girl she didn’t know dressed as Polaris. Lara thought Tim must have taken the picture in this situation… until she saw what appeared to be the same girl in several more costumes like Sailor Moon and Bowsette.

“Who is…?” Lara started to ask, looking up from the pictures at Tim. She froze mid sentence, seeing the same smile and eyes on Tim as the girl in the photos. “No way…” she said in quiet awe, looking between Conner’s boyfriend and the pictures in disbelief. “Is… Is that you?!”

“Well,” said Tim, grinning at the bewildered look on Lara’s face. “You could say it’s me on one of my more feminine days.”

Steph leaned over. “Babe?” she said in a hushed tone. “Are you sure you wanna tell her?”

“Tell me what?” asked Lara eagerly. Was Tim trans too?

“Lara?” Tim asked, “Do you know what “genderfluid” means?”

Lara tried to remember. She had come across many different terms in the past week to describe the many different gender identities. She understood enough to know that people like her, Colin and Dr. October were trans, and that people like Harper were non-binary. She also knew that it was possible for people to be like Damian; identifying as their assigned gender, while not completely conforming to typical gender roles.

She vaguely remembered reading about genderfluid people, whose gender tended to vary from day-to-day. For example; they could identify as male most of the time, but occasionally have moments where they identified as female instead. 

Lara had found this fascinating, and had wondered what these people could be like. Never in a million years would she have guessed that Timothy Drake-Wayne, was genderfluid! She had always known him as Conner’s quiet and shy boyfriend.

“You!?” gasped Lara, “You’re…”

Tim smiled and put a finger to his lips, hushing Lara. “I’m not out to everyone yet. Apart from you and Steph, the only other people who know are Kon and my sister, Cass.”

Lara couldn’t help but smile, “Let me guess, Cass already knew when you told her.”

Tim nodded “Oh yeah, she’s always been the best at finding out secrets. But she didn’t know for too long before I told her… In fact, I kinda wanted to come out to her first for a pretty selfish reason.”

“Oh Timbo! Don’t be so hard on yourself! It wasn’t that big a deal.” Steph put an arm around her partner’s shoulder and kissed his cheek.

“What was selfish about it?” Lara asked curiously.

“... Cass and I are the same size. The same body type. I came out to her first in my family so I could borrow her clothes…” The fluid hero blushed and smiled sheepishly.

Lara was laughing but only a little, “That’s not selfish! That’s cute! Damian lets me borrow his girl clothes a ton, I totally get it.”

Tim smiled. “I’m glad to hear Damian’s been so supportive. I tell ya, for a while I wondered if he was like me, but he seems pretty confident with his masculinity, even in a dress.”

“So… You haven’t told Damian yet?” Lara asked, cautiously. She knew that Tim and Damian had something of a complex relationship, and she didn’t want to seem nosey, despite her curiosity.

“I’m planning on telling the whole family soon.” Tim replied. “Hearing them all talk about you this morning gave me a lot to think about. In a way, I guess you kind of inspired me, Lara. So thank you for that!”

She was so happy she started floating off of the couch. It was this sort of inspiration and help that she had hoped to give trans people all over the world! And it was already working! “You’re very welcome Tim!” She said, trying to calm herself down and landing back on the seat before thinking of something “Oh! If you don’t mind saying, what are your pronouns right now then?” She remembered that dealing with a fluid or nonbinary person it was always polite to ask rather than assume.

Tim smiled at the question, “He and him today Lara, thank you for asking,” he reached into the pile of makeup supplies and held up several bottles of nail polish. “But boys like to look pretty too. Ready for Steph and I to show you a few tricks?”

“Yes please!” Lara held out her hands as if ready for them to be painted right away.

Lara’s face then fell as she realised something, and looked down at her hands. She had been trying out different colours for her nails all throughout the week, and they were currently a light pink. But she was going back to school the next day, and she’d need to remove the paint when she went into stealth mode; pretending to be a boy again. Lois had shown her how to use wipes and nail polish remover, but Lara felt bad about letting Tim do an excellent job on her nails, only for her to have to undo it that evening.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” asked Steph.

“I have school tomorrow.” said Lara, glumly. “The people there don’t know I’m a girl yet, and I’m not ready for them to find out yet.”

Steph exchanged a look with Tim, who nodded and grinned. “Not to worry, Lara!” said Tim, enthusiastically. “We have a solution to this particular dilemma...”  
________________________________________________________________

A few minutes later, Martha entered the room, with a fresh plate of cookies and some homemade lemonade, to find Lara sat barefoot on the couch. Lara’s feet were outstretched, and she had small cotton balls in between her toes. Tim and Steph were knelt in front of her, carefully painting the young girl’s toenails.

“Having fun in here kids?” Martha asked with a smile.

“Yep!” Lara giggled, doing her best not to squirm as an occasional movement of the beautician treatment tickled her feet. She looked down to see her toes painted in the Superman family colors of blue, red and gold, each color sparkling with glitter.

“There we go. Just let those dry for a minute or two and it’s all good Lara.” Steph said, capping the bottle of polish she had been using before reaching for a cookie and showing her fingernails had been painted her costumes signature purple.

“Thanks for the cookies Mrs. Kent.” Tim grabbed two, handing one to Lara, and showing off that his own nails were bright red. Not only that but his thumb and index nails had both been painted with little yellow Rs.

She was given pause for a brief moment seeing Tim with his nails done too, but she had seen stranger over her long life than a young man with a near artistic use of polish. “Don’t thank me Tim, Lara made the cookies today.”

Suddenly, the back door flew open as Conner zoomed into the room at super speed. “Do I smell cookies?!” His sudden appearance caused a startled Martha to nearly drop the plate. 

“Land sakes, Conner!” huffed Martha. “We’ve talked to you about this sort of thing!”

“Sorry Grandma...” said Conner, sheepishly picking up a cookie that had fallen on the floor. “I just get excited for your cookies. They are seriously the best.”

Martha grinned at her foster grandson. “Flattery will get you nowhere, young man. And besides, these cookies were made by your sister.”

“No way!” said Conner, as he took a bite of his cookie. He turned and grinned at Lara. “Sis, I think you might have inherited Grandma’s cooking skills. These are awesome!”

“Ew! Conner, that was on the floor!” Lara flinched away from her brother's antics, still smiling at the compliment.

“What?” He said with his mouth full, “I know how clean these floors are kept. Besides, gotta pick up the cookies before Krypto finds them.”

The young clone realized his mistake too late. Saying “Krypto” and “cookie” in the same sentence had summoned the dog who appeared in a begging position at Conner’s feet in the blink of an eye. “No, Krypto! These are people cookies!” He held his half eaten cookie up in the air, but that just made the dog jump for it, tail wagging. 

“No Krypto!” Conner repeated, trying his best to dodge away from the pup, “Chocolate is bad for you!” The dog stopped jumping to stare at his boy with a puzzled expression as plain as day. “Don’t look at me like that. You might be super, but you’re still a dog. Chocolate will make you sick.”

The canine turned to his greatest weapon; he whimpered and pouted, staring sadly up at Conner. You could watch the poor clone’s heart break as he struggled to say no to that face.

“Martha! Are you and Conner teasing that poor pooch?!” Pa Kent had just entered the room, taking off his work gloves, and staring at his wife and grandson with exaggerated shock. “Who knew my wife could be so cold-hearted?”

“Oh hush, Jonathon!” said Martha, rolling her eyes and smiling. “You know what this dog needs.”

“Right, you are!” said Pa Kent, heading into the kitchen, and emerging a moment later with a bag of dog treats.

The dog barked, scampering over to Jonathan with his tail wagging. “Here ya go, sport!” he said, holding out a large treat for Krypto to snatch out of his hand. The dog laid down on the floor at the old man’s feet to slowly munch the treat to make it last. “Will ya look at that.” He said with a chuckle, scratching the dog behind the ears. “Guess I’m his new favorite.”

“Nah,” Tim interjected, “He’s just staying close to try and guilt you into a second treat.” He and Steph both gave Conner a knowing look. The young Kryptonian had taken the seat closest to Martha and the cookies to try and pull the same trick.

“Ok Lara.” Steph said after checking her watch. “Nails should be all set to go!”

Lara smiled widely, bending down to remove the cotton balls, flexing and wiggling her toes to see the colors from different angles, “This is amazing! Thanks so much! I…” she froze mid sentence, “Conner, did you hear something?”

Her older brother had paused too, in the act of trying to steal a broken piece of cookie from the plate. “Sonic boom… ‘Could be dad flying out here?”

The siblings were first out the door, quickly followed by the two former Robins, the grandparents and the dog. They only had to wait a moment for Clark to come flying out of the sky, in full costume. “Turn on the TV, quick! You have to see this!” He said without any more explanation.

Before anyone could even turn around to run back inside, they heard another odd noise. A whistling sound that Lara knew from cartoons… Suddenly, the ground shook with a loud bang. The group all looked to see an old fashioned TV with dials and rabbit ears had fallen from the sky, just a few feet from where Clark had landed. Even though it was sitting damaged in a crater, it still seemed to be working.

“Hey! I just filled that hole!” Conner yelled at the sky as the rest of the group ran over to the TV, only mildly surprised at this point it was showing the story Clark wanted them to see. 

The breaking news headline read “Madness in Metropolis!”, as the image on screen appeared to display a live feed of Metropolis Centennial Park, and it became immediately clear that something was not quite right.

The trees were all twisted and curved, as if they were reflections in a funhouse mirror, and they appeared to have candy growing on the branches. What sounded like circus music, was playing in the background. Worst of all, somebody had vandalised the Superman statue at the centre of the park by adding a large dunce cap and a pair of Groucho glasses.

“Uh oh…” muttered Lara, getting a pretty good idea what all of this meant.

The situation got even stranger when she saw, not a reporter on the tv, but a Barbie doll being held up to the camera by a tiny gnarled hand. “Hello everyone! This is Nancy Newsly reporting!” A squeaky fake female voice said, “An otherwise boring and uneventful day in Metropolis was made exciting by the always welcome arrival of one of my favorite people in the multiverse! We go live to him now! Ladies, gentlemen, and especially Kryptonians, welcome back to Metropolis, Mr. Mxyzptlk!”

A canned audience applauded as the camera was turned to show a tinny old man in a green suit and matching bowler hat smiling as wide as the Cheshire Cat. “Thank you Nancy for that wonderful introduction!” He just then noticed he was still holding the doll in his hand and tossed it over his shoulder. “Let me tell ya folks, it’s good to be back in this dimension! While I may originally be a 5th dimensional imp, I consider this little corner of reality to be my second home!”

Lara sighed as her fears were confirmed by the appearance of the man onscreen. Mxyzptlk was a mischievous interdimensional being, with cartoonish reality-altering powers. He was one of her dad’s oldest foes, although maybe “foes” wasn’t quite the right word. Clark had always described him as “more of a nuisance than a threat”, and there had been times in the past when Myx had actually helped the Man of Steel. This, however, did not seem to be one of those times.

Lara looked up at her dad, who’s brow was furrowed. “He’s been long overdue for a while now.” Clark said in an irritated tone. “Looks like he’s been waiting for the right moment to pop up.”

“Right you are, Supes!” said Mxyzptlk on the TV screen, making everyone jump.

“Whoa! Can he hear us?” said Conner.

“You bet I can, Clone-Boy!” Myx replied, “and that’s not all I can do!” With a maniac laugh, he reached his arms forward and a pair of gigantic hands erupted out of the TV screen. Before anyone had time to react, one of the hands grabbed hold of Clark as if he were an action figure.

“Dad!” yelled Lara and Conner together, as they rushed forward and tried to free their father, by pulling at the giant fingers. It was no use. Mxyzptlk’s magic was too strong, even for the combined might of three Kryptonians. The second hand came down, batting Conner away as if he were a ragdoll, before grasping Lara as she tried to fly out of reach.

“Ahhh! Nooo!! Help!!!” Lara yelled to no avail, as she and her father were pulled into the TV screen and out of sight.


	15. Madness in Metropolis

Lara awoke with a start. The last thing she remembered was being dragged, against her will, into a TV screen, and into whatever mayhem Mxyzptlk had in store for her and her father. The experience was quite disorientating, and it took Lara a few seconds to get her bearings.

She found herself lying on the grass, in the middle of what was meant to be Metropolis Centennial Park. But, as they had seen on the TV, Mxyzptlk had completely redecorated.

As Lara sat up, she noticed that she was now wearing her Supergirl outfit, and her dad was lying a few feet away. “Dad!” she cried, rushing over to him. To Lara’s relief, Superman sat up, looking relatively unharmed.

“Lara!” said Clark, hugging his daughter. “Are you okay, sweetie?”  
“I’m fine, dad.” said Lara, “But I think we might be in trouble…”

The father-daughter duo gazed around at the chaos unfurling in the park. There certainly was circus music playing over the speaker system, which matched the new cartoony aesthetic that had been applied to the entire area. Both Clark and Lara felt pretty uneasy about this.

Centennial Park was known for its giant statue of Superman, and the memorial to those who had perished in the Doomsday incident, 12 years ago. It had occurred before Lara was born, but she knew all about it from basically everyone who was old enough to remember it, especially her parents.

Doomsday was a nearly unstoppable alien monster, who had been unleashed upon Metropolis after centuries of imprisonment. Dozens of civilians had been killed by the monster's rampage, including (though this was debated by many people) Superman himself. Doomsday and the Man of Steel had fought each other to the death at this exact location, leaving two lifeless bodies, of two of the most powerful beings on Earth, lying in the centre of Metropolis.

After that, Doomsday’s body was restrained, and jettisoned into deep space by the Justice League, and Clark was laid to rest in the Fortress of Solitude. After six months of international mourning, Superman returned from the dead, his body having been slowly rejuvenated by the Kryptonian technology at the Fortress.

Lara had always felt uneasy whenever she thought of that story. Even though it had occurred before she was born, and she knew that her dad had eventually recovered, it still served as a reminder that her dad wasn’t invincible. For all the amazing and wonderful perks of being a superhero, it was still important to remember that it was also an incredibly risky lifestyle.

Despite the Man of Steel’s miraculous recovery, the Doomsday incident was still remembered as a dark day in history, with its anniversary considered a day of remembrance in Metropolis. As a result, Centennial Park was known for its quiet and peaceful atmosphere, Mxyzptlk had clearly crossed a line by choosing to deface it with his mayhem.

“He’s got some nerve doing this here, especially on your first day!” said Clark, as they stood up, and began making their way towards the statue, where the imp had been making his broadcast.

“Will Conner and the others be able to follow us?” asked Lara, trying not to sound scared.

“I doubt it.” said Clark. “Myx made sure to only grab us, and he’s probably sealed the park off to prevent other heroes from getting in.”

It was at this point that Lara realised something. “Wait!” she gasped. “He grabbed us, but not Conner? And he’s doing this on my first day as Supergirl. He’s even dressed me in my costume. You don’t think…?”

Clark nodded. “Like I said; he’s clearly been waiting for the right moment, and it looks like he’s…” He paused, when he noticed Lara’s expression; She was trying to put on a brave, determined face, that wasn’t quite hiding the fear and guilt in her eyes.

“He’s doing this because of me.” Lara concluded. “All of this is because of…”

“No, sweetheart.” said Clark. “That’s what people like him want you to think. But this chaos is his fault, and his alone. Understand?” He held Lara’s hands in his own, giving her a small reassuring smile, and Lara nodded.

“That’s my girl!” said Clark, “Now, let’s go show that imp why he shouldn’t mess with the Girl of Steel!”

As they flew towards the statue, Lara examined the terrain from the air. There were no signs of any civilians in the park, which was either a very good, or very bad sign. Mxyzptlk usually only focused on harassing Superman, rather than innocent bystanders, but he had been known to use them as pawns when it suited his purposes. Lara silently hoped that anyone who had been in the park when Myx had arrived, had been allowed to go free.

It was at that point that they spotted the 5th Dimensional imp at the feet of the defaced statue. He was lounging in a deck chair and reading an upside down newspaper, while he apparently waited for Clark and Lara to approach.

Clark signaled for Lara to follow his lead, as the two of them landed gently on the ground, and Clark cleared his throat. “Long time no see, Myx!”

Mxyzptlk looked up and grinned wickedly at the Man of Steel. “Hey there, Supes!” he cackled, floating up from his chair, and hovering over them, newspaper tucked under his arm. “Glad to see you and li’l Lara could make it. What d’ya think of my redesign of this dreary old park?”

Lara wanted to respond firmly and proudly with how horrible his changes were and how he’d pay for this, but hearing his words she had a very different reaction. “What… did you just call me?”

“Lara Ella Kent. Great choice of names by the way, princess.” The imp pulled out a comically large cigar and lit the end. “Why so surprised, Supergirl? I can alter reality at a whim, ‘you really surprised I know that much about you?” He took a deep pull on his cigar before exhaling; dozens of bubbles flew out of his mouth to pop in Lara's face. “But don’t worry kid! Your secret is safe with me. Ask your old man.” He seemed to grow tired of the cigar and threw it over his shoulder, landing far away and blowing up like a stick of dynamite. “Tell her Clark. I’ve kept your secret a long long time! I never got what you mooks in the capes and tights saw in secret identities anyway, but I’ll keep my mouth shut. It’s more fun this way.”

Clark put a calming hand on Lara’s shoulder, knowing how much this must have rattled her. “What do you want this time Myx? You’ve been too quiet for too long to just show up for no reason.”

“Quiet?!” The imp looked insulted. “Supes, I have never once in my considerable life been quiet! There’s just more than this one universe to have my fun in! If you only knew what kind of mayhem I’ve been up to in the multitude of realities parallel to this one.” He looked up at the sky, reminiscently. “There are several universes where everything's made of Lego, for cryin’ out loud! You can’t expect me to ignore them, can you?”

Lara shook her head, trying to ignore Mxyzptlk’s insane ramblings, and spoke in what she hoped was a determined voice. “You haven’t answered the question. What do you want this time?” 

Myx grinned, though whether it was because he was impressed at Lara’s determination or he just thought it was cute, Lara couldn’t tell. “Oh I have so many fun things in store for you and your dad, little miss Supergirl! Just you watch...” He held up one hand as he spoke, and the supers braced themselves for whatever was coming next. 

There was a small flash of light, and Myx now seemed to be wearing an oversized knitted glove, with multi-colored blinking lights stuck on with duct tape. “I’ve been wanting to try out this little doodad for a while now. I got the idea from a movie I watched last summer.”

Lara blinked as she stared at the glove, as she recognized the design that Myx was trying to emulate. “Hey!” she said, trying not to smirk. “Is that supposed to be the infin-?”

“QUIET!” yelled Mxyzptlk suddenly, making Lara jump a little. “The writers have enough problems without getting sued!”

Lara and Clark exchanged a look. Clark’s expression seemed to say “He says stuff like that all the time. Don’t let him confuse you.”

“But yes, you’re correct.” continued Mxyzptlk. “So it looks like I don’t need to explain to you what the ‘Eternity Mitten’ is capable of…”

“The what?” said Lara.

Myx ignored her, and carried on speaking. “Because when this baby disintegrates, it disintegrates!” He snapped his fingers.

Lara flinched, expecting a bright flash and a deafening noise. But there was no such thing. Instead, the ‘Eternity Mitten’ crumbled into dust.

“Huh…” said Mxyzptlk, staring nonplussed at his now-ungloved hand. “Well, whaddya know…. It disintegrated.”

Lara couldn’t help but giggle slightly at the wordplay. While she knew Myx was capable of much worse, and that he had to be stopped, she also had to admit; Mxyzptlk was kinda funny.

“Aha!” cried Myx, as he noticed Lara’s laugh. “At last! A hero who gets the classic comedic stylings of Mxyzptlk!” He waved his hand, and a large translucent pink bubble formed around the Girl of Steel.

“Hey!” cried Lara, banging against the bubble’s shell which refused to pop. “Let me go!”

“THAT’S ENOUGH, MYX!!” yelled Clark, flying forward and grabbing the Imp by his shirt collar. “Let my daughter go, or else!”

“Sheesh! Temper, temper.” said Mxyzptlk, and he quickly disappeared in a puff of smoke.

As Clark and Lara looked around for any sign of their opponent, they heard his voice ring out over park’s speakers. “Don’t worry, Supes!” he said. “You have my word that I will not harm a single hair on Li’l Lara’s head.”

There was a loud sound of metal groaning, and the heroes looked up to see that the Superman statue had now transformed into one of Mxyzptlk, complete with a wicked grin and an oversized mallet. “That being said…” continued Myx over the speakers, “I’m not sure if I can say the same for these bozos!”

All over the park, there were dozens of smoke puffs, just like the one Myx had used to escape Clark’s grasp. Dozens of Metropolis civilians suddenly appeared, each one of them wearing a blindfold that they could not remove. Lara realised, with a sense of dread, why the park had looked so deserted when they had arrived. Mxyzptlk had been keeping them hidden, so as not to spoil the surprise. Now there were dozens of innocent bystanders, wandering aimlessly around the park; They were sitting ducks!

The giant statue of Myx leapt off of its plinth, and began making its way towards a scared and confused looking man sitting on a bench. With only a brief moment’s hesitation looking to Lara to make sure she was ok, Clark took off, flying over to the old man, and moving him out of harm’s way.

Lara watched helplessly from her bubble, wishing she could do something, as Myx floated up next to her, munching from a bag of popcorn. “Enjoying the show, princess?”

“Shut up!” snapped Lara, “You’re just a jerk, who thinks that hurting other people is funny!”

“Guilty as charged!” chuckled Myx, before sighing. “Lara, I can’t help but feel like we got off on the wrong foot. I reckon if we put aside our petty differences, you’d see that I’m actually a pretty decent guy!”

Lara looked out across the park. She watched her father rounding all the park’s residents into a gazebo on the far side of the park, where he’d be able to protect all of them at once. 

Lara then looked back at her captor. “If you really were a ‘decent guy’, you’d stop tormenting everyone!”

Mxyzptlk didn’t seem to hear her remark as he continued his speech. “I mean, c’mon Lara! We’ve got so much in common! I’m a trans-dimensional imp, you’re a trans girl. We’d make a great team!”

Lara was very quickly realising why her dad had always been so aggravated by Mxyzptlk. The imp was insufferable! She began to concentrate, as she ignored the imp’s rambling. Trying to remember how her dad had defeated him in the past.

She remembered Clark telling her that Myx would occasionally simply grow tired of tormenting him, and teleport back to the 5th dimension by saying his name backwards. Other times, Clark was able to trick the imp into speaking the magic word, which would also send him home, for a few months at least.

Lara sighed internally. It had taken her a while to even say the name ‘Mxyzptlk’ forwards, let alone backwards. How the heck was she supposed to trick Myx into saying a word that she couldn’t even pronounce. Even if she could remember the name backwards, she’d probably mess it up with her lisp.

A light bulb came on in Lara’s head, as a crazy idea popped into her mind. It sounded dumb in her head, and if it failed, she would only succeed in making a complete fool of herself. But it was the only plan she had, and she was the only one in a position to pull it off. 

The young Supergirl closed her eyes, as she got into character. All her years of begging and manipulating her parents were about to pay off…

Lara slumped against the edge of the bubble as she sank to the floor. She let out a large sigh as she hugged her knees, and did her best to look utterly miserable. “I can’t do this!” she sobbed, hoping that it sounded convincing. “I… I’m not cut out to be Thupergirl…” It wasn’t often that she lisped on purpose, but she was glad that it still sounded pretty convincing.

Mxyzptlk paused, and stared at Lara with genuine surprise. “Wait, what?” he said. “You’re giving up just like that?” 

“I can’t fight you!” said Lara, keeping the act up. “You’re a thupervillain, and I’m jutht a kid!”

“Yeah, but…” Myx actually looked worried that he had apparently upset Lara so easily. Maybe he was concerned about the repercussions if Clark noticed, or he might have just felt bad. “You’re the daughter of Superman! That’s not so bad!”

“I guess…” sniffed Lara, looking away and trying not to smirk. “But I’m not even a real…”

“HEY! Whoa, whoa, Whoa!! Stop right there, and do not even finish that sentence!!” yelled Myx, brandishing an old-fashioned stop sign, complete with lights and a siren.

Lara was able to hide her victorious grin with a look of surprise at Myx’s reaction. “What? What do you mean?”

“Don’t get me wrong!” said the imp, vanishing the stop sign with a puff of smoke. “I’m all in favor of pulling pranks and being an annoying pest. It’s what I live for! But I draw the line at making kids like you feel dysphoria. That’s just… not funny!” He said the last two words as if not being funny was the most heinous thing imaginable.

“Aawww!” said Lara, grinning not only because her plan was working, but also because Mxyzptlk seemed to genuinely care about her identity. “Thanks, Mythx... Myth...!” She put on another convincing display of lisping.

“Wow…” said Myx, gazing at Lara. “That is some seriously potent adorableness ya got there, princess!” He snapped his fingers, and Lara’s bubble expanded a little, giving her some more space. “Perhaps you and I should talk.”

Lara rolled her eyes when Mxyzptlk wasn’t looking. She could tell that he was just trying to manipulate her, and probably didn’t even feel bad about making her ‘cry’. Still, this meant that her plan was working, if Myx didn’t see her as a threat.

“I don’t know what your dad has told you about me kid, but I’m not such a bad guy. I’m just looking to make my own fun!” He waved his hand and a huge chocolate ice cream cone appeared in Lara’s hand. “I feel a cute kid like you could appreciate a little mischief!”

Lara made sure to over react her excitement over the ice cream and pretend not to hear what he’d said. “Uh huh… could I please have thtrawberry inthed?”

“Strawberry? Comin’ right up!” The Imp waved his hands and the chocolate dessert changed to the appropriate flavour. 

“See Kid, I have a proposition for ya.” Myx said, leaning against the bubble in a casual conversational pose. “You see, not everyone in the universe appreciates my particular style of humor, and every so often I find myself threatened… frequently by a ticked off Kryptonian from one universe or another. I’ve been looking to have some muscle travel with me, to keep me safe or break me out if I get in over my oversized head.”

He stopped talking for a moment when he noticed that Superman had knocked down the living statue, and was breaking it apart. To keep him busy, Myx waved his hands to make the trees and bushes sprout googly eyes and come alive. The plant creatures each focused on a differ civilian to divide Clark’s attention. 

“So what do you say kid?” said Myx, turning his attention back to Lara. “You can be my Kryptonian muscle, travel the multiverse, laugh at my jokes, and I use my powers to give you just about anything you could want.” He was so confident she would take the deal that he got rid of the containment bubble and offered his little hand to her.

Lara kept her attention on the otherworldly salesmen, fighting the urge to fly off and help her dad. She had to stick to her plan. Dad could handle the little monsters, while she would take on the big guy. “Well gee, mithter… that ith a pretty good deal…” She said in a sweet and innocent tone, ignoring the offered hand. “But are you thure your powerth can keep up with the imagination of a girl like me?”

“Is that a challenge, princess?” Myx scoffed. “When Myxyzptlk says he can grant your every wish, he means it!” The imp floated into the air as his hands began sparkling with silvery-blue energy. “Mayhaps you need a demonstration… Shmibbidi Shmobbidi Shmoo!!!” There was a bright flash, as the imp’s spell hit Lara.

The young Supergirl felt a strange sensation, as her costume began to morph. Her skirt grew in size, blooming out around her lower-half, and becoming ruffled and frilly. The emblem on her chest faded, as the bodice of her outfit turned a light glittery blue, and her cape vanished into thin air. The bracelets on her wrists became long velvet gloves, reaching up to her elbows. Lara felt her shoes becoming glass slippers, and a tiara materialised on her forehead. Finally, the shoulders and neckline changed shape and became ruffled, allowing room for a pretty silver sapphire necklace on the girls neck.

“There we are!” said Mxyzptlk, raising his hands in a ‘tada’ gesture. “Much better than that cape-and-tights combo! So last year!” He snapped his fingers, and a mirror appeared in front of Lara, who blushed a little when she saw her reflection.

While there was a small voice at the back of Lara’s head that seemed to be concerned with the apparent loss of her brand-new superhero outfit, Lara felt a sudden surge of euphoria as she took in the beautiful dress that she was now wearing. 

Lara had expected Myx to simply conjure up a cheap trick-or-treat outfit, but this dress looked like it was made for actual royalty! If Damian had been there, he would have asked for the name of the dressmaker.

“Well?” said Myx, appearing behind Lara’s reflection. “Whaddya think?”

Lara suddenly remembered her plan, and immediately dropped back into sweet-and-innocent mode. “I LOVE IT!!!” She cried, giggling and twirling. “Look! I’m Thinderella!!” 

“Cinderella.” corrected Mxyzptlk, cheekily. 

Usually, Lara would’ve been annoyed at someone making fun of her lisp, but she was glad to hear it coming from Myx. It meant her plan was working. She just had to keep up the act.

“Anything else I can do for you, Cutie-Pie?” Mxyzptlk asked, now hovering in the air in a relaxed position, with a smug grin on his face. “A pony, perhaps? Or a tea party?” 

As he listed off his suggestions, they poofed into existence behind him. A small, confused looking pony materialised, along with a table displaying a fancy tea set and a selection of cakes.

Lara couldn’t help frowning a little at this. While certainly liked being girly, she didn’t appreciate the implication that being a girl automatically meant that she loved ponies and tea parties.

“Mithter Myxth?” asked Lara. Maintaining the sweet-and-innocent act, along with a convincing lisp was starting to get on Lara’s nerves.

“Please!” sorted the Imp, “‘Mr. Myx’ is fine.”

“Hey!” snapped Lara, enacting the next stage of her plan. “Thtop doing that!” She did her best to sound more hurt than angry. That way, she would hopefully be seen as less of a threat.

Mxyzptlk couldn’t help himself any longer, and he burst out laughing. “Thorry!” He cried through his hysterics. “I don’t think I can ‘thtop’!”

“You’re thuch a jerk!” said Lara. Any moment now her plan would either succeed, and she’d be a hero, or it would fail, and she’d be an embarrassed loser. “But I know how to thend you back to where you came from! I just need to thay your name backwardth!”

Myx howled with laughter. “Oh I’m sorry, cutie-pie!” he guffawed, “But it needs to be me who says it, not you! But I’d like to see you try to pronounce it!”

The Imp floated down so that he was face-to-face with Lara, who glared at him. If the Girl of Steel had learned how to summon her heat vision, then Myx would have been on fire at that moment.

“I. Am. Thupergirl.” said Lara, not breaking eye-contact.

“I think you mean ‘Supergirl!’” chuckled Mxyzptlk.

“You don’t belong in Metropolith!” Lara continued.

“Metropolis, cutie-pie.” corrected Myx, smugly.

“I’m gonna thend you back where you came from...” said Lara, her tone getting more frustrated.

“SEND me home.” the Imp added, not tiring of his game.

“Kel-Tip-Thikth-Um!” shouted Lara.

“Ha!” yelled Myx, slapping his knee. “I told you it has to be ME who says it! And it’s pronounced ‘Kel-Tip-ZIX-Um’ not...!”

The circus music that had been playing over the park’s speakers since they had arrived suddenly stopped with a record scratch. There was a momentary silence, as Lara and the Imp stared at one another. 

Then, Lara grinned. “Oooh! So that's how you're supposed to say it! Thanks!” She felt relieved at no longer having to play up her lisp. “Kel-Tip-Zix-Um, huh? Sound's kinda stupid."

Myx’s smug expression fell, as he realised that Lara had outwitted him.

All across the park, the trees started shifting back into place, and returning to their normal shape. The Superman statue reassembled itself and flew back to it’s plinth, as the civilians huddled in the gazebo were finally able to remove their blindfolds.

Lara felt the fabric of her dress flutter, as if caught in a breeze. She looked down to see that it had turned back into her Supergirl outfit. The gloves, slippers and jewelry had vanished too. She had to admit, part of her had been hoping that she would be able to keep the dress, but it was still a relief to have her regular costume back. Finding a replacement would have been difficult.

Mxyzptlk sat down on the floor dejectedly. All of his chaos had been undone, and everything that he had conjured up or transformed was now returning to normal. He had clearly lost.

“Well…” He remarked. “Poop!”

“One more thing, before you go!” said Lara, floating into the air with her hands on her hips, just as she’d seen her dad, cousin and plenty of other heroes do in the past. “Don’t call me ‘Cutie-Pie’.”

Mxyzptlk looked like he was about to respond with some witty retort, but at that moment, he simply popped out of existence. 

Lara had barely a second to contemplate her victory, before her dad flew right up to her, and pulled her into a massive hug. “Lara!! You did it, sweetie! Are you okay?!” The pride in Clark’s voice was slightly tinged with concern.

“Dad! I’m fine!” said Lara, though she was grateful for the hug. “Why do you sound so surprised? Think I couldn’t handle Mxyzptlk?”

Clark chuckled as the two of them embraced. Then the ground shook as Conner landed a few feet away, in full Superboy getup. He was closely followed by Krypto, who was now wearing his “Superdog” costume, a blue and red dog harness with the Super emblem on the front, and a small red cape on the back.

“Dad! Lara!” Conner yelled, rushing forward, as Krypto barked and leapt around them. “Are you okay? What happened with Myx?!” It was rare to see Conner acting like this. He looked seriously concerned.

“Conner! It’s okay!” Clark laughed. “Myx has been dealt with. Lara saw to that.” He smiled proudly at his daughter.

“Wait, what?” Conner stared at his dad, before turning to his sister, who shrugged and nodded.

Behind Conner, Lara saw Spoiler and Red Robin arrive, with Steph swinging in on a grappling hook, and Tim flying down with his suit’s retractable wings. The three Titans looked like they had come ready to fight, only to find that the battle had already been one.

“What’s going on here?” Spoiler asked, looking around. “Don’t tell me, we missed the butt-whopping?” 

Conner turned and grinned at his girlfriend and boyfriend. “Guys! Supergirl defeated Mxyzptlk! My little sister is a hero!!”

The civilians who had been huddled in the gazebo were starting to crowd around the heroes, trying to get a good look. Once Conner made his announcement, the whole park began clapping and cheering for Lara. 

Lara felt her spirits swelling with pride as the civilians started making their way over. She then felt herself being hoisted up onto Conner’s shoulder, as her brother encouraged everyone to cheer for her.

“Let’s hear it for Supergirl!!” cheered Conner, and the whole crowd erupted into thunderous applause.  
“You go, girl!” Yelled Tim and Steph in unison.

Then, Lara heard a muffled bark and saw Krypto running over to her. “Hey boy! What have you got there?” She asked, seeing he held an envelope of a very familiar bright green hue in his mouth.

The dog floated up in front of Supergirl, allowing Lara to take the letter from his mouth. The outside read:  
“To Miss Lara El,  
Metropolis, DE USA  
Earth 1011”

“1011?” Lara read allowed. She put the envelope in her pocket for later. There wasn’t much of a chance to read it while surrounded by people. Plus she was enjoying the cheers a little too much to be concerned about what Myx had written at the moment.

Her joy only grew as Conner carried her on his shoulders through the crowd, all of them shaking her hands, patting her back, thanking her for saving them! She was practically getting a warmer reception than Superman! Yes, the note could wait. For just a little while she was going to enjoy being Supergirl!  
________________________________________________________________

Shortly afterwards, the police and reporters began showing up, and the heroes felt it was time for them to leave. They made their way to the roof of a nearby skyscraper, where they found a much calmer atmosphere, overlooking the Metropolis skyline.

Once they had a little privacy, Clark and Lara made a few phone calls; first to Ma and Pa Kent, to let them both know that everything was ok. Then to Lois, to fill her in on the details. Lara was filled with joy to hear her mom gush about how she had been watching on the news, and how amazed she was that Lara kept finding new ways to make her proud. 

After promising Lois that they’d be home later that evening, Clark turned his attention back to Lara. “Well sweetie, this was a spectacular first day for you. How do you feel about dinner at Bibbo’s as an extra little celebration?”

She lit up at the idea. Bibbo’s Diner was a family favorite spot both in and out of costume. The owner Bibbo Bibboski was an old friend of Superman, so much so that he had even injured himself trying to help Superman when Doomsday had attacked. Bibbo’s bravery had led to a mutual admiration between him and the Man of Steel.

“Sounds great! Can I-” She was going to suggest going as Supergirl, but then they’d all be in costume… which would mean Stephanie couldn’t eat with her mask on.

“It’s ok.” The blonde chuckled, seeing Lara hesitate. “You can have a family dinner with Conner. Tim and I can change, and get a separate table.”  
________________________________________________________________

It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it would work in a pinch, so off they went, and before long, four Kryptonians were sitting together in a booth; Krypto was known by the staff as a “service animal” so even he got a seat. The pair of former Robins were seated, in their civilian clothes, at the counter not far from the booth.

All of them ordered burgers and milkshakes, along with some hot wings and jalapeno poppers that Conner insisted on getting too. Even Krypto got his own cheeseburger. Only once they were all comfortable and their food was delivered, Lara returned to the matter of Myx’s note.

Looking around to make sure that there wasn’t a waitress nearby to see or hear anything, she took out the envelope and tore it open to find a letter written in big loopy cursive writing. She could vividly imagine Myx writing this with a comedic oversized feather quill. She quietly read it aloud so only her family and friends could hear.

“Dear Lara, if you are reading this then congratulations! You won! I had to make sure you got this note so I gave it to the Kryptonian with the most sense in the family.” She paused at that for a moment, the dog actually seemed a bit smug at the compliment and was contentedly wagging his tail.

She continued, “Sorry(not sorry) for being such a pain in the neck, but I couldn’t let your first day as a hero be so uneventful! You needed a real threat to make today worth remembering, and since no one else wanted to step up, I volunteered myself for the task!” Lara actually smiled at that. She had been worried that the chaos from earlier had been her fault, but not in this way. No, it had been meant for her benefit in a roundabout way. It was that crazy old imp’s way of trying to help and she found she couldn’t be mad about it.

“Hold on to this victory li’l Lara and enjoy it. I never fall for the same trick twice. But I hope this helps show both you and the world just what the new Supergirl is capable of. Warmest wishes, Mxyzptlk.” Lara met her father’s eye once she was done reading. “Well what do you know about that.”

Clark sighed and nodded “Now you see why I have mixed feelings about Myx. Sometimes he’s the biggest pest when he’s trying to help.” He paused, looking at the note, “Hey there’s more.”

Lara looked back down and read, “PS: Tell the three idiots that Mister Twister is planning to break out in the next week.”

Father and daughter looked at each other and for half a moment wondered who the three idiots were, but they quickly got their answer as they saw a waitress heading over to Tim and Steph, with two desserts. Stephanie had a huge Belgian waffle ice cream sundae set down in front of her and Tim got a mocha latte the size of his head topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

“Uh… Excuse me…” Steph said after a brief hesitation, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“They were sent over by the young man in the sunglasses.” The waitress gestured towards the Kents’ table and Conner winked and gave the pair finger guns. As his partners blushed and waved back before diving into their desserts, Lara and Clark knew they had spotted the ‘idiots’.  
________________________________________________________________

Just as the heroes were finishing their meal, a new figure came out to see them. A man who matched Clark in size and build, wearing a bandanna on his head and a Superman t-shirt under a heavily stained apron. It was the restaurant owner, Bibbo Bibbowski himself.

“Supes, my man!” He reached across the table and shook Clark’s hand. “My boy!” He fist bumped Conner. “My dog!” He scratched a very happy Krypto behind his ears. “And it’s a pleasure to meet you too, my girl!” He laughed to himself, tipping an invisible hat in Lara’s direction. “I had wondered if you would come here to celebrate! Great job out there today!”

“T-thanks Mr. Bippo.” Lara said, a bit nervous that this man, who had seen her a few times before she had come out, might recognize her now. “It’s nice to meet you! Dad’s told me all about you!”

“Just Bippo please. I bet your old man has told you stories about me!” He sat down on the edge of the booth.

“Like the time you punched dad and broke your hand because you thought he was just a punk in a costume?” Lara asked and Conner laughed, also knowing the story.

The large man laughed along with Conner. “That’s exactly the sort of story that I mean kid. I bet a few days on the job you’ll have some great stories too. You’ll have to come back and tell me some of your own tales later. I’ll make it worth your while, heroes on the wall always eat free!” 

He nodded his head to a wall of framed photos of various superheroes. Superman’s picture hung proudly in the center, but he wasn’t alone. Lara knew that Kara and Conner had their own pictures, as well as Nightwing, three different Batgirls, Donna and Diana and many others.

Even Batman appeared in multiple pictures beside his partners and sidekicks over the years. Every member of the bat family saw it as a personal challenge to try and make Bruce smile or react in some way. Dick and Steph had tried making faces, Harper and Cass had kissed, one older picture even had a teenage Jason Todd Robin flipping off the camera. Nothing worked. Every time Bruce stood there grim, quiet, and bored. That is until Damian came along. The father son picture showed the young Robin as the grim one who thought this beneath him, and had earned the tiniest smile from his father at the irony. Damian had said succeeding where his family had failed was one of his proudest accomplishments as Robin.

There was also a famous pair of pictures of the Flash. The first of Barry posing with a recently captured and cuffed Captain Cold. When Wally had taken up the mantle, he made sure to wait till he too had captured Cold to take his own picture. Even the captain had been touched by recreating the moment.

“Do I really get my own photo already?” Lara asked excitedly. 

“Oh absolutely! Here sis!” Conner pulled out his cellphone and held it up. “I can take it right now if you want.”

“Now!” Lara exclaimed and quickly checked her hair in her reflection of a window. She had to get this right. Some of these pictures were hung up for all to see for years. She flew a short distance off the ground so she was level with a “Bippo’s” sign on the wall all heroes used for the picture. 

“Oh wait a moment.” She quickly flew over to the photos and found Kara’s old picture. She nodded and flew back to her spot floating beside the sign and took up a pose matching her predecessor as Supergirl; a wide smile accompanied by a V for Victory.

Conner nodded his approval and snapped the picture. “There we go…” He took a moment to mess with the image before hitting send, giving Bippo, Lara and Clark all their own copies. Lara checked her own phone and was delighted, not just by how her pose was exactly what she had been going for, but that Conner had added a trans pride flag filter over top of it.

“This is amazing! Thank you!” Lara hugged her big bro tight, getting a lot of “Dawwws” from around the restaurant, especially from Tim and Steph who had snapped a few pictures of their own.

“Perfect! Thanks SB.” Bippo said, nodding his approval at the picture. “I’ll print it out tonight and you’ll be on the wall tomorrow.” The owner shook hands with Clark once more and bid the family goodnight. 

“We should get going. It is a school night.” Clark said gently, getting out his wallet. The meal was free but he always left a large tip for the staff anyways.

“Oh… right…” Lara had all but forgotten about school in the excitement of the afternoon. She saw Tim and Steph pay for their own meals and leave ahead of the group, probably to find a place to change back into their costumes.

“Hey, you can do this Lara.” Conner said, giving her another hug. “You saved the city by yourself today. You’re Supergirl! You can do anything!” 

Lara smiled up at Conner. “Thanks Kon. Can I maybe call you tomorrow? Talk about how school goes?”

“Of course. Any time… well unless tomorrow is the day Mister Twister breaks out, but I’ll call you back if I’m not busy. Pinkie promise.” He hugged his dad goodbye as well, “I’ll let you know when we get home dad. Say hi to Lois for us.”

As they walked out of the restaurant Krypto nuzzled his head against both Lara and Clark in his own little goodbye. Then they went their separate ways, Conner and Krypto to find Tim and Steph and the teleporter home, and Lara and Clark flying into the night sky to get back home.

Lara was quiet for the flight. She would have a lot to think about and a lot to get ready before school the next day. But she wasn’t afraid anymore. Conner had been right. She was Supergirl, and she could do anything!


	16. Good News and Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As we come to the end of volume one in the tale of Lara Kent, we just want to say, Thank you to all our wonderful readers!  
> You're all wonderful, and we hope that you've enjoyed the first volume!

Upon arriving back at the apartment, Lara changed out of her Supergirl outfit, and back into her normal clothes, which she found in a neatly folded pile on her bed. Apparently, they had been teleported there when she had been grabbed by Mxyzptlk, and changed into her costume.

Speaking of Mxyzptlk, once Lara and Clark had both changed, they gave Lois a full rundown of the afternoon’s events. Still dazed from her all-nighter, Lois had only caught the end of Myx’s attack on the news. She needed to be filled in on a few details, as there was only so much they had been able to discuss over the phone. 

Lara began by briefly filling Lois in on how her first morning as an official superhero had gone, as well as telling her about what she got up to on the Kent’s farm, though she left out the details of her conversation with Tim. She wouldn’t have wanted to accidentally out them as genderfluid.

When Lara got to the confrontation with Myx, she explained how she had played the Imp at his own game, by playing the naive, innocent role. Both her parents seemed impressed by their daughter’s quick thinking.

“I was wondering what all that business with the dress was about.” chuckled Clark, sounding somewhat relieved. “For a second, I thought he had you under some kind of trance. But it sounds like you had things under control!”

Lara laughed, and carried on with the story. She explained how she defeated Mxyzptlk, and how they’d all celebrated by going to Bibbo’s. Lara was just telling her mom about her photo for the wall of heroes, when Lois spoke up. “Oh, that reminds me! I’ve got some messages for you, sweetie.”

“Messages?” asked Lara, “What do you mean?”

“Oh, we got all sorts of phone calls and voicemails from well wishers on the special line.” Lois got up and returned moments later with what she jokingly called the spare communicator. It was a spare cell phone in a Superman case that they kept locked in the office. The number was known to most members of the superhero community for non-emergency contact. No need to tie up the JLA communication systems with personal calls.

Lara held the phone and looked at the screen. There were over 30 calls from the last 24 hours and at least a dozen voicemails. “Are all of these for me!” She looked up at Lois with delight.

“Well, some were for me and Clark, but they were all talking about you!” She pressed play on one call and put the message on speaker phone so all three of them could hear.

“HI LARA!!” A bunch of happy voices called out together. “We saw you on the news! You were amazing, girl!” Lara recognized the voice of Dick Grayson and knew right away who the other voices must be. 

“Welcome to the good fight!” Artemis called in.

“First day on the job and you saved the city! Way to go!” Wally shouted.

“You got this, Lara! You’re making us all proud!” Kor’i said with such warmth that Lara could practically hear her smiling.

“Hi Lara! I love your new name!” Mar’i said, her voice seeming to bubble with happy energy. 

“Yay Soopah Gurl!” Lara recognized Jake’s little voice getting the last word before the message cut out.

Lara was stunned, but smiling from ear to ear. “That’s so great! Are they all like this?”

In answer, Lois hit play on another message. 

“Lois? Oh my god! We just heard the news! Congratulations to all of you!” Lara recognized the voice of Jason Todd-Wayne-Harper, Damian’s big brother, the second Robin, and current Red Hood. She wasn’t used to hearing him sounding so cheerful. “I wasn’t watching the news yesterday! Damian sent me a text that said “Her name is Lara” and I didn’t get it until just now!”

“Jay! Let me say something!” Lara heard the faint voice of Jason’s step-daughter, Lian Harper. “Hi Lara! Love the new look! It’s so you! Dad’s not home, but I know he’d want to wish you luck too! We have to hang out soon! It’ll be great to have another girl in the group! See you soon Girl Scout!” 

Lara felt a new spark of euphoria at the name. Lian loved giving her friends nicknames, and her old nickname had been “Boy Scout”. It was so heartwarming to her that Lian had already accepted her identity enough to change her nickname!

She looked through the call history of the phone to see who else had left messages. “Black Canary, John Stewart, Martian Manhunter… Zatanna?” Lara was surprised to see that last name on the list. She had only met the sorceress a few times, and didn’t know her as well as some other heroes. She hesitated for a second and pressed play on Zatanna’s message. 

“Hey Clark! Diana just told us the news!” came the magician’s voice. “You and Lois must be so proud of Lara! I’m sure she’s gonna be a fantastic Supergirl!”

Lara was surprised to hear how enthusiastic Zatanna sounded. The few times she had met the magician in the past, she had been friendly, but not much more than a colleague. How come she seemed so suddenly eager for Lara? Did her coming out really mean that much to her?

“I was thinking about dropping in for a visit at some point. I’m sure Lara and I would have plenty to talk about, you know…?” She paused, as if she was trying to address something, without actually saying it.

Lara looked up, and saw that her mom and dad were exchanging a knowing look with each other. What did Zatanna mean by that? And did her parents know something she didn’t?

“Give me a call back at some point, and we can arrange something then. See you ‘round!” The message ended with a click.

Lara was about to ask her parents if they knew what Zatanna was talking about, but at that moment, the intercom buzzed loudly.

“Now, who could that be?” said Lois. “Don’t tell me, someone’s decided to congratulate Lara in person?”

“Err… Not quite.” said Clark, who was staring perplexedly at the floor. Lara quickly realised that her dad was looking in the direction of the front door of the apartment building, apparently using his x-ray vision to see who it was. “It’s Doctor October!”

“What?” said Lara and Lois, together. Lois stood up and rushed over to the intercom to buzz the doctor in, leaving Lara to ponder why Dr. October was making a house call.

Maybe the doctor had some exciting news that she needed to share right away? Could she have made a breakthrough already? Or maybe she was just coming to check up on Lara? No, she was a professional doctor! She wouldn’t simply drop in for a chat. Would she?

“What’s the doc doing here, dad?” Lara asked.

“I’m not sure.” Clark replied. “She’s always been a tricky one to figure out.” He looked at Lara. “I’m sure it’s nothing bad though.” he added, hastily, not wanting to worry the young girl.

They heard the sound of the elevator outside, and Lois opened the door to greet the doctor.

Lara was taken aback by Victoria’s appearance. She had never seen the doctor outside of S.T.A.R Labs before, and had only ever seen her wearing her usual lab coat. Now, she was wearing an elegant white faux-fur coat over a black dress, and carrying a fancy-looking handbag, which made her look like a 1940s Hollywood actress more than ever.

“Good evening Lois, Clark, Lara.” Victoria said politely, as she entered the apartment. “I hope you don’t mind me dropping in, but there are some things I think we should discuss.”

“Nothing serious, I hope.” Lois commented, closing the door behind their guest and taking her coat.

“Oh no, nothing bad. It’s all good actually.” She turned to Lara and smiled, “First off, I wanted to congratulate you on a great speech yesterday and a wonderful first day on the job! You are a force to be reckoned with, Lara!”

“Thanks doc!” Lara said, blushing a little bit at the praise.

“You can call me Victoria when I’m out of the office, Lara. No need to be so formal.” She opened her handbag and started digging around inside for something. “But that’s not all I wanted to say. I was watching the news at the lab, packing up for the night when I had thought. Remember when we discussed your biology being part Kryptonian and part human, and how standard puberty blockers might not be effective on you?” 

Lara nodded, hoping that Victoria had come with good news.

The doctor continued. “Well, after doing some research, I think we’re ready to begin stage one of experimentation; starting with a bioscan!”

Finding what she was looking for, she held up a device that reminded Lara of a ray gun or those strange scanner things from Star Trek. She knew there was a proper name for the machine, but Lara had always thought of it as “the magic wand” because the doc would wave it around, and like magic, it would tell her all kinds of things. A great tool in medicine for patients with invulnerable skin.

The doctor hesitated, just now realizing how strange this behavior would be coming from any other doctor. “I know I should have called, and made an appointment to run the scans and tests. Sorry, this was my one track mind at work again.”

Lara spoke up, “You said these scans were for puberty blockers? That’s medicine for trans people right?”

Victoria chuckled “In a roundabout way. It’s a first step to help you fully transition. It would… how best to put this… slow or stop a lot of the things in puberty that make boys and girls different.”

“Oh… Ooooh…” Lara said, shuddering as she remembered some things she had been taught in health class. “Yeah, I’d like to avoid that if I could.” She stepped forward and stood with her arms out at her sides like she did in most appointments involving the wand.

Victoria nodded in understanding, “I know exactly what you mean, dear.” She looked at Clark and Lois. “Do you mind if we do this here and now?”

They looked at each other, then to Lara, before shrugging and nodding. “If it’s alright with you, Lara, then carry on.” said Lois.

Victoria pressed a button, and the device came to life. Lara stood still with her arms outstretched for about 30 seconds, while the scanner did its work. Victoria examined a small screen on the back of the device, as it recorded and stored all the relevant details of Lara’s Kryptonian-Human biology.

Afterwards, Victoria went over the data on her phone, while Lara sat on the couch with her parents, waiting. “Hmmmm…” murmured Victoria. “Well, the good news is that Lara is in relatively normal shape for a child her age. If we can find a way to administer blockers, I see no reason why they wouldn’t work.”

Lara felt a wave of relief and happiness, before she realised that the doctor hadn’t finished, and stopped herself from getting too excited.

“That being said…” continued Victoria, “I’ll need to carry out some blood tests to be certain, which brings us to the next obstacle; the administration of said blockers.” She looked towards Clark, who seemed to understand what the doctor was suggesting.

“The blockers need to be administered in injections, I’m assuming?” Clark asked for clarification.

“Traditionally, yes.” Victoria nodded. “There are other ways, but the shots are most effective.”

“Shots?” Lara repeated, with a bit of a nervous squeak in her voice. Even if her skin was mostly invulnerable, she still shared the innate fear of needles most children had. Lois put a comforting arm around her daughter’s shoulders.

“Yes, the shots would need to be given about once a month. Possibly more often with a Kryptonian metabolism. I won’t know that for sure until I run some tests on the blood sample.”

Lara shuddered again, “That’s a lot of needles…” She also knew what getting a shot would mean. To break the skin with such a fine point, the site needed exposure to a small amount of Kryptonite radiation, and she was always exhausted after the exposure. She looked at the clock, it was almost her bedtime anyway. She took a deep breath and held out her arm. “Alright then Victoria… I’m ready when you are.”

“What a brave girl.” The doctor smiled and pulled out a syringe, a little flashlight, and a bandaid with butterflies on it. Lara was also familiar with the flashlight from previous visits to the doctor. It gave off an energy wavelength similar to Kryptonite in a concentrated burst. She took gentle hold of Lara’s arm and rubbed the spot with an alcohol swab before shining the light on the spot.

Even though the light wasn’t actually Kryptonite, it was enough to soften the skin and exhaust the target. Lara looked away, focusing on her dad so she wouldn’t feel the needle prick her skin. She hoped that she didn’t flinch at the pain and snap off the tip or anything.

“And done!” Victoria said after a moment.

“What?” Lara turned her head back and saw the bandaid being put on her arm. “It’s over already?”

“Yep! Easy right?” She handed Lara a red lollipop from her purse. “Brought this for tradition.”

“Thanks!” Lara happily accepted the candy, but Lois grabbed it before she could unwrap it.

“No sugar this late, sweetie. I’ll put it in your lunch bag for tomorrow, ok?”

Lara pouted and yawned, feeling the effect of the light. “Oh yeah… tomorrow…” she looked up at Doctor Victoria, remembering that she had been through all of this before. “Victoria, I have to go back into the closet for school tomorrow. Do you have any advice?”

Victoria put a comforting hand on Lara’s shoulder. “Tomorrow is going to be hard. If it helps, and if you feel comfortable, take small steps to make it easier. Talk with teachers if you think they would respect you. If hearing your deadname is too hard, try using a nickname. And only come out to a friend or two if you feel safe and ready to do so. Take it steady. You’ve got this, Lara!”

Lara beamed up at the kind woman, and hugged her around the waist. “Thanks Victoria! You’re the best doctor ever!” The young Supergirl then yawned again; it had been a long and exciting day for her, and the doctors visit had made her feel extra sleepy.

“C’mon honey.” said Lois, taking Lara’s hand. “As you said, it’s a school night. Time for bed.”  
________________________________________________________________

Yes, Lara had brushed her teeth and said goodnight. Yes, she had gotten into her pajamas and climbed into bed, but she wasn’t ready to sleep just yet. Once again she lay awake in the dark thinking about the day to come. She was never really the sort of child who looked forward to school in the first place, and now she couldn’t help but dread it.

She tried to take her mind off it with something, anything. It was then that she realized that Dr. October hadn’t left…She and her parents were still talking in the living room… but about what?

Feeling very mischievous, Lara once again focused her super hearing to pick up the conversation past her closed door. She could hear Victoria talking in a low voice. 

“-been meaning to pull you two aside for a word since I last saw you.” Victoria said, apparently to Lois and Clark. “I know this has all been happening very fast, how have you been holding up”

Lara bit her lip and gripped her blankets just a little tighter as she braced herself for the answer. What would Lois say about her behind closed doors?

“We’re doing pretty good…” said Lois, after a brief pause. “I mean… it was definitely a surprise when she first told us, but seeing how happy Lara is, any stress was more than worth it.”

“Very true. And everyone has been so supportive!” Clark added, “It’s been really positive to see! It did feel a little strange at first; I mean… we thought we had a son for 11 years, but then we found out we have a daughter! I thought it would be hard, but she’s still our child! We still love her, and she’s happier than ever!”

Lara wanted to rush outside and give her dad a massive hug, but she stopped herself, not wanting to blow her cover. This was exactly what she needed to hear, and it felt wonderful. She was about to roll over and go to sleep, but then she heard Victoria speak.

“That’s amazing to hear from you two.” said the doctor, an obvious smile in her voice. “You’ll need to hold on to that mindset for a while. I’m speaking from experience, not everyone is going to be nice to her, or you about this. You must be prepared to take as much bad as good.”

Lara’s smile faded a little. She knew that she had been incredibly lucky to have such a warm reception when she came out. But she knew that she was going to encounter plenty of idiots and bigots along the way. 

She remembered seeing her name all over Twitter, the night before. Harper had been careful to only show Lara the positive comments, but she could tell that there had definitely been some mean things said that day. She remembered what Colin had told her about the bigot in charge of the orphanage; how she had refused to see Colin as a boy, and forced him to wear dresses. Heck, even people like Alexander Knox could make Lara feel uncomfortable, without even meaning to, by asking inappropriate questions.

Victoria continued. “But I will also tell you this; it will get better! Lara is such an amazing girl, and she’s so lucky to have family and friends who love and support her.”

Lara turned down the strength of her hearing after another moment, hearing the adults say goodnight to each other and the door to the apartment opening and closing as Victoria left. However, Lara still heard the last few comments from her parents, just outside her bedroom door.

“We should probably get to bed too.” Lois was saying, “It’ll be a long day for all of us, I’m sure.”

“Does she really have to go back to school?” Clark asked, sounding oddly tense for a bulletproof man. “Between us, the League, and the data crystals in the fortress, I’m sure we could home school her! Just keep her away from that whole hornets nest!”

“And keep her away from her friends, social development and life as a normal kid? No, Clark.” Lois sighed. “It’s hard, but she needs this… besides I don’t trust glowing space rocks to teach Lara. Kara was educated by them, and she struggles with life outside the cape.” She clearly meant it as a joke, but she did make a valid point.

“Lara’s strong, Farmboy.” Lois continued. “And not because she’s Supergirl. If we are there to help her, she can get through anything.”

“She gets her real strength from you, Lo.” Clark said, “I just want her to be safe and happy.” There was a pause in the conversation, Lara guessed they must have been kissing. She rolled over in bed to face the wall, trying to block out that image. 

With her back to the door, she pretended to be asleep as it opened softly and she heard both her parents sneak into the room. She laid perfectly still with her eyes closed as first her mom, then her dad gently kissed her forehead. After a brief pause, both left as quietly as they came.

Lara smiled to herself in the darkness and finally drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new mission for Supergirl. And the start of her next adventure. It would be difficult, but with her family and friends behind her, and the future looking bright before her, she felt ready for anything.


	17. Epilogue

Even before coming out, Lara had never liked the uniform that she had to wear at Reeve-West Academy. It was drab, uncomfortable and annoying to put on. The teachers all claimed it promoted a strong sense of unity and equality among the students, which almost every single student collectively agreed to be complete baloney.

However, now that Lara knew who she really was, she found herself hating her uniform even more! The grey pants and shoes, along with a white button-up shirt, red tie and blue blazer were not only dull, they were way too masculine for Lara’s taste. As she looked in the mirror on Monday morning, and took in her reflection, she felt unimaginably underwhelmed.

On the plus side, at least her hair wasn’t terrible. Granted, it was still fairly short by most girl’s standards, but it made it easier for Lara to still see herself as a girl, albeit one in an incredibly boring and ugly outfit.

Lara took a deep breath as she went over the plan in her head. She knew that she was going to have to hear her deadname a lot, as well as be frequently misgendered. But she also knew that it would only be temporary. 

She thought about taking Victoria’s advice, and asking for people to use a nickname. She hadn’t minded being known as “J” when she’d first come out. Maybe she could text Damian, and ask him to call her that? He was probably the richest kid at school, so he’d definitely have some sway among the students.

Then Lara remembered one of the key factors in her plan; the debut of the new Supergirl. The appearance of a new superhero would always be the talk of the entire school, but this would be a special one. Not only was she related to the world’s most famous hero, but her publicly coming out as trans, would have attracted even more attention. Superheroes and trans rights would be the main topic of every conversation and rumour floating around the school, and only Lara and Damian knew that the girl who was on everyone’s minds, would be at school with them, incognito.

Lara then thought about her two school friends; Isabelle and Laurence. Should she tell them? It would probably be unsafe to reveal her secret identity, but maybe she could at least tell them about her being trans?

There was a knock at the door, and Lara heard her mother’s voice. “Lara? Are you nearly ready? The coach is gonna be here soon!” Yeah, by any other name it was still a school bus, but it was a luxury private school bus. Coach just felt like the more fitting word.

“Yeah, mom.” Lara replied. “Just a second!” She hastily checked her backpack, and grabbed her glasses from the top of the dresser. She didn’t really need the glasses, but her dad had always insisted she wear them ever since she had first shown signs of powers. Much like the ones worn by Clark, they provided a surprisingly effective disguise when she was living as an ordinary civilian.

Now that she was a fully-fledged superhero, Lara understood the need for the glasses more than ever. The whole world had seen her on TV, and many people knew her face. Plus, ‘Jon Kent’ had always worn glasses, so it made sense for Lara to do the same.

The irony of the situation was not lost on Lara. While she despised having to pretend she was a boy, she had to admit, it was a pretty effective addition to her disguise. She smiled, getting the thought that once her hair had grown out, she could wear it in different styles as Lara and Supergirl. It’d be an extra layer of disguise and be a chance to try lots of different looks! 

“Soon Lara.” She said softly to herself as a gentle reminder that what she faced today would not be her reality for very long. She would get through this. With one final breath and a check around the room she had everything she needed, she left her room to face the day.  
________________________________________________________________

Lara just managed to get to the school coach on time. It didn’t stop too far from the apartment, but both Lois and Clark had stopped to hug her, and wish her luck before she left. As a result, she had to run to the coach stop, which made her thankful for her Kryptonian endurance.

Once she was on the coach, she made her way to the back, where she found her two school friends, Isabelle Issacs and Laurence Stamp, who both smiled when they saw her.

Isabelle, or Izzy to her friends, was a short black girl, with long, curly hair tied back in a bun, with a pink ribbon. It was known among the friends that she disliked wearing her hair this way, but her wealthy parents were very persistent. She wore a plain black skirt and tights as part of her uniform, which made Lara feel envious, but she did her best not to show it.

Sitting next to Izzy, was Laurence. He looked more like a typical prep school student; a tall, white kid, with neatly combed black hair, and a perpetually blasé expression. Despite his appearance, Laurence had always been friendly towards Lara and Izzy, presumably because they were so different from the other kids.

“Hey guys.” Lara called, taking the bus seat they had saved between them. “Did I miss anything while I was out sick?”

“Was that all it was?” Laurence asked with a raised eyebrow. “You’re never sick.”

Lara shrugged a little, “Yeah, it doesn’t happen much, so mom just kept me home till she was sure I was better. I probably ate something funny over the weekend.”

“Bleh… I’ve had food poisoning before. Not fun.” Izzy playfully punched Lara’s shoulder. “Glad you’re feeling better now, Jon.”

Lara tried her best not to flinch hearing her old name for the first time in almost a week. “Yeah… hey, do guys mind calling me J? I hung out with Damian last week, and he started calling me that. I think I prefer it.”

Laurence seemed a bit hesitant about the idea. He had mixed feelings about nicknames, in fact one of the few times his friends had seen him angry was when someone had called him Larry. 

Both Laurence and Izzy also had mixed feelings towards Damian Wayne. They knew that “J” sometimes hung out with the boy outside of school (their dads were friends, or something…), but the Wayne kid never seemed to interact with them much at the academy. 

Izzy on the other hand smiled and nodded “No problem, J. You started calling me ‘Izzy’ when I asked. Least I can do.” 

Laurence shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I can do that.”

“Thanks guys.” Lara smiled, glad one tough job was at least started. She wanted to ask if they’d seen the news about Supergirl, but it felt very tacky to name drop herself. Better to wait and see if anything was said… “So… you guys do anything over the weekend?”

Laurence sighed and held up his backpack. “Oh the usual, studying extra hard so I can help you two hopeless cases on the next test.”

“Hey! That’s not fair!” Izzy glared at the taller boy.

“Yeah! I’m the only hopeless one! Izzy does great!” Lara called in, making Izzy laugh and Laurence smile.

“So do either of you know who the 30th president was?” Laurence asked as a test. 

“Calvin… Andhobs?” Izzy asked, knowing she was close but not quite there.

“There were 30 presidents?” Lara asked in legitimate confusion.

“Like you said J, you are hopeless, Izzy might get partial credit.” Laurence gave a little laugh and pulled out his Superman-themed spiral notebook and handed it to his friends. “Look through these, you two. I think with the homework we got Friday, we might get stuck with a history quiz today.”

“Thanks, Laurence.” Lara knew to accept the chance to read her friend’s near perfect notes without question. Sometimes they were better organized than the teacher’s own lessons.

While awaiting her turn to see the book, Izzy stared at the Superman logo. “You guys see the news from Saturday? New hero in town.”

Lara resisted the urge to spring into an immediate conversation about herself. “Hmm?” She said, trying to sound casual. “Oh yeah, my mom wrote some stuff about her. She seems nice.”

“All the forums were talking about her.” said Laurence, who was something of a Superman geek. “But they had been expecting a new Superboy! I tell you, some of the theories that were going around were pretty stupid!” He gave a small chuckle, and began listing off his favourites.

“There were some people saying that she was a clone of Wonder Woman that Superman had adopted. Another said that she’s from an alternate universe where all the genders are flipped. Although my favourite one was that she was actually meant to be Superboy, but had accidentally been transformed by Pink Kryptonite!” 

“That is pretty silly!” Lara gave a little laugh, though secretly she did wonder if Pink Kryptonite might actually help her with the process. She had never been sure if it was even real. She had only heard it mentioned by Kara as an inside joke to her father before.

“I know right?” Laurence nodded, “So many people are just unable to accept the simplest explanation as the truth.”

“So… How exactly does it work?” Izzy asked, a little confused, but also curious. “She was born Superboy but decided she’d like being Supergirl more? Why would anyone choose to be a girl? It stinks!” She huffed a little, straightening her skirt. 

“Well…” Lara tried to think how best to keep the secret, and explain. “From what I could gather when I asked my mom... Trans people are sometimes uncomfortable with their body that they were born in. Or they just find that they prefer being another gender, and in the end, it’s how they feel inside that counts. They might choose to make changes in how they look, how they dress, and what people call them to help feel more comfortable.”

Izzy was quiet for a few seconds, her eyes shifting, as if trying to process this information. “But… isn’t everyone a little uncomfortable with their bodies?” She asked, slowly. “I hate my hair, how I have to dress, my mom just said this is all part of being a woman.”

Laurence shrugged. “I can’t speak for everyone, but I’ve always been pretty happy as a boy. Not much I’d change except maybe to be taller, and that’ll come if I wait.”

Lara smiled at Laurence’s comment, but she couldn’t help focusing on what Izzy had just said. Despite the efforts of Mr & Mrs Issacs, their daughter had always made it clear that she was not a fan of all the pretty pink bows, ribbons, skirts and dresses they bought for her. But this was new. It was almost enough to make Lara think… No... Izzy wasn’t trans too, was she?

Izzy sighed, “Well if the way I feel isn’t the normal that my mom was telling me, good for Supergirl. Don’t let the world say what she can or can’t do.”

“Right!” Lara said a little louder than she meant to before blushing. “Sorry,” She said at a more reasonable volume. “I’ve just been hearing and reading a lot about Supergirl the last few days. I gotta say, I’m excited about it.”

Laurence gestured around the bus, “You and everyone else. I’m pretty sure everyone on here is talking about what happened in the park yesterday...”

The three friends continued to chat about Supergirl, all the way to school. As they got off the bus, they continued talking all the way into the hallways, but had to go their separate ways after that, as the three of them had different classes to attend.

“Hey, guys?” said Lara, as Izzy and Laurence turned to leave. “Do either of you wanna hang out after school? I have… some stuff… that I want to talk to you about.” She grinned nervously, as her two friends exchanged puzzled looks.

“Sure…?” said Izzy, slowly. “My parents will be home late tonight, so we could hang out for a little while.

“Sounds good.” Laurence added. “My folks should be okay with it. What did you have in mind, J?”

Lara smiled at not having to hear her deadname. “Oh, just wondering if you two wanted to come over my place? Just so we can catch up?”

“Great!” smiled Izzy. “We can talk more about Supergirl. You said your mom had written about her.”

“Uh, yeah. That’s right.” Lara felt butterflies in her stomach. She waved goodbye to her schoolmates, promising to see them again at recess.  
________________________________________________________________

Lara Ella Kent was a strange girl for numerous reasons. For one thing, she was Supergirl, a hero of Metropolis. For another, she had to pretend to be a boy while attending school, for the time being. Her strange life had only gotten stranger recently, but it had also become even more wonderful and happy than she had ever imagined.

The young lady knew who she was, and come that evening, her friends would know too. Her adventures as Supergirl were only just beginning, and she was glad to be facing them as her true self…

Lara Kent - The Girl of Steel!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lara Kent will return


End file.
